scholarly journals The impact of accreditation of primary healthcare centers: successes, challenges and policy implications as perceived by healthcare providers and directors in Lebanon

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadi El-Jardali ◽  
Randa Hemadeh ◽  
Maha Jaafar ◽  
Lucie Sagherian ◽  
Ranime El-Skaff ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Velez Lapão ◽  
Mariana Santos ◽  
Melanie Maia ◽  
Vasco Pedrosa ◽  
Jorge Seixas ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic is straining health systems and disrupting the delivery of healthcare services, in particular for the elderly and those with chronic conditions, who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. OBJECTIVE The aim of this project is to support primary healthcare provision with a digital health platform that will allow primary care physicians and nurses to remotely manage the care of patients with chronic diseases or COVID-19 infections. METHODS The project followed the 6 steps of the Design Science implementation methodology framework: problem identification and motivation, definition of the objectives aligned with Goal-oriented care, artefact design and development, solution demonstration, evaluation, and communication. RESULTS The digital platform was developed for the specific objectives of the project and successfully piloted in three primary healthcare centers in the Lisbon Health Region. The health professionals were able to safely and thoroughly manage their first patients remotely with high degrees of satisfaction. The first COVID-19 messages were sent to the patients, addressing infodemic issues. CONCLUSIONS Although still in the first steps of implementation, we are seeing promising results with a positive uptake by healthcare providers and patients. Further research is planned to evaluate the impact on patient’s health related outcomes. We are confident that this platform could be scaled-up to all primary healthcare centers in Portugal in the next months, ready to tackle a second wave of COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
pp. 8-14
Author(s):  
Abdul Rahem ◽  
Umi Athiyah ◽  
Catur Dian Setiawan ◽  
Andi Hermansyah

Background: Pharmacists are the only people authorised to manage the medicines inventory. However, in the case of pharmacist shortage, other personnel may take over this function. This is particularly the case in most primary healthcare centers (puskesmas) in Indonesia. Aim: To compare the outcome of medicine inventory management between pharmacists and non-pharmacists in primary healthcare centres (PHCs). Methods: A survey of 146 puskesmas in East Java was conducted involving 73 pharmacists and 73 non-pharmacist staff. This study was conducted from July to January 2020. Each respondent completed a questionnaire focusing on the inventory aspects of medicine management. Results: Purchasing accuracy is higher for pharmacists (90%) than for non-pharmacists (68%). Pharmacists manage the inventory more efficiently with only 2% of the drugs expired and wasted while non-pharmacist staff wasted 16% of the drugs and 18% of the drugs expired. Conclusion: The role of pharmacists in medicine inventories is vital as they carry out more efficient and accurate medicine management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-29
Author(s):  
Oladayo Nathaniel Awojobi ◽  
Jane Temidayo Abe ◽  
Oluwatoyin Adenike Adeniji

Primary healthcare is provided in most developing and developed countries to enhance healthcare accessibility for the population. This study accesses the impact of primary healthcare in six Sub-Saharan countries. A systematic search for qualitative and quantitative studies published before the end of 2017 was conducted online. Inclusion criteria were met by 6 studies, one each from Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria,  Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Five studies are peer-reviewed, and one is a working paper. Three studies reported on the impact of primary healthcare on healthcare accessibility. Four studies reported on the role healthcare resources play in enhancing primary  healthcare services. Two other studies mentioned how cost-sharing mechanism led to an increase in healthcare utilization and how the reduction in user changes in all primary healthcare centers led to the reduction in out-of-pocket spending on healthcare services in a short-term. Primary healthcare offers access and utilization to healthcare services in most countries. It also offers protection against the detrimental effects of user fees. However, concerted efforts are still needed in most African countries in revitalizing the operations of primary healthcare centers for the improvement of healthcare services.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keitly Mensah ◽  
Charles Kaboré ◽  
Salifou Zeba ◽  
Magali Bouchon ◽  
Véronique Duchesne ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cervical cancer screening in sub-Saharan countries relies on primary visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Primary human papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening is considered a promising alternative. However, the implementation and real-life effectiveness of this strategy at the primary-care level in limited-resource contexts remain under explored. In Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, free HPV-based screening was implemented in 2019 in two primary healthcare centers. We carried out a process and effectiveness evaluation of this intervention. Methods Effectiveness outcomes and implementation indicators were assessed through a cohort study of screened women, observations in participating centers, individual interviews with women and healthcare providers and monitoring reports. Effectiveness outcomes were screening completeness and women’s satisfaction. Logistic regression models and concurrent qualitative analysis explored how implementation variability, acceptability by women and the context affected effectiveness outcomes. Results After a 3-month implementation period, of the 350 women included in the cohort, 94% completed the screening, although only 26% had their screening completed in a single visit as planned in the protocol. The proportion of highly satisfied women was higher after result disclosure (95%) than after sampling (65%). A good understanding of the screening results and recommendations increased screening completeness and women’s satisfaction, while time to result disclosure decreased satisfaction. Adaptations were made to fit healthcare workers’ workload. Conclusion Free HPV-based screening was successfully integrated within primary care in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, leading to a high level of screening completeness despite the frequent use of multiple visits. Future implementation in primary healthcare centers needs to improve counseling and reduce wait times at the various steps of the screening sequence.


Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shabashini Reddy ◽  
Andrew Gibbs ◽  
Elizabeth Spooner ◽  
Noluthando Ngomane ◽  
Tarylee Reddy ◽  
...  

Background: The high burden of disease in South Africa presents challenges to public health services. Point-of-care (POC) technologies have the potential to address these gaps and improve healthcare systems. This study ascertained the acceptability and impact of POC CD4 testing on patients’ health and clinical management. Methods: We conducted a qualitative survey study with patients (n = 642) and healthcare providers (n = 13) at the Lancers Road (experienced POC) and Chesterville (non-experienced POC) primary healthcare (PHC) clinics from September 2015 to June 2016. Results: Patients (99%) at Lancers and Chesterville PHCs were positive about POC CD4 testing, identifying benefits: No loss/delay of test results (6.4%), cost/time saving (19.5%), and no anxiety (5.1%), and 58.2% were ready to initiate treatment. Significantly more patients at Chesterville than Lancers Road PHC felt POC would provide rapid clinical decision making (64.7% vs. 48.1%; p < 0.0001) and better clinic accessibility (40.4% vs. 24.7%; p < 0.0001) respectively. Healthcare providers thought same-day CD4 results would impact: Clinical management (46.2%), patient readiness (46.2%), and adherence (23.0%), and would reduce follow-up visits (7.7%), while 38.5% were concerned that further tests and training (15.4%) were required before antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Conclusion: The high acceptability of POC CD4 testing and the immediate health, structural, and clinical management benefits necessitates POC implementation studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1183-1199
Author(s):  
Mohammed Alrouili ◽  

This study attempted to identify the impact of internal work environment on the retention of healthcare providers at Turaif General Hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In particular, the study aimed to identify the dimensions of work circumstances, compensation, and relationship with colleagues, professional growth, and the level of healthcare providers’ retention. In order to achieve the study goals, the researcher used the descriptive analytical approach. The researcher used the questionnaire as the study tool. The study population comprised all the healthcare providers at Turaif General Hospital. Questionnaires were distributed to the entire study sample that consisted of 220 individuals. The number of questionnaires valid for study was 183 questionnaires. The research findings were as follows: the participants’ estimate of the work circumstances dimension was high (3.64), the participants’ estimate of the compensation dimension was moderate (3.32), the participants’ estimate of the relationship with colleagues dimension was high (3.62), the participants’ estimate of the professional growth dimension was weak (2.39), and the participants’ estimate of healthcare providers’ retention level was intermediate (2.75). Accordingly, the researcher’s major recommendations are: the need to create the right atmosphere for personnel in hospitals, the interest of the hospital to provide the appropriate conditions for the staff in terms of the physical and moral aspects for building the work adjustment in the staff, and conducting training courses and educational lectures for personnel in hospitals on how to cope with the work pressures.


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