Hygeia, HEWAN advocate for quality patient care
By CHIOMA OBINNA & EBELE ONUORAH
THE need for patient-oriented healthcare delivery to raise survival outcomes during emergencies, was at the forefront of an interactine training session held for health writers by Lagoon Hospital in collaboration with the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) in Lagos last week.
Participants resolved at the end of the exhaustive event that, there is indeed need to put in place an effective Emergency Response Plan that would be regularly updated as technology and knowledge improves.,
The emergency preparedness plan which they said must put into consideration in all ramifications, natural and man-made disasters, is expected to involve stakeholders at all levels.
In his lecture entitled; Emergency Response: Speed and Accuracy,” Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Olakunle Onakoya said such plan plan was necessary because no matter the best prevention method implored, there will always be a disaster. “The question remains when the disaster occurs, what is the plan?” he asked.
• From right : The Group Managing Director, Hygeia Group, Mrs. Fola Laoye with President, Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN), Mr. Azoma Chikwe, during a one day interactine training session held for health writers in Lagos
Onakoya stated that in a normal setting, an emergency plan has to be rehearsed regularly, adding that even at times, the nature of the likely emergency/disaster might change and the plan would have to be reviewed in line with that.
He stressed the need for members of the public to be trained through different fora professional groups, societies, etc. in emergency response saying that “It is only when that is done that we can say these are the emergencies that we are likely to face and then have a plan and all those involved in the plan would know how to respond.
Onakoya, observed that best treatment outcomes happen when patients are taken to the right place, at the right time for the right care.
“The nearest hospital is not always the right hospital.In handling emergencies, first remove the patient from the harm and ensure you don’t cause more harm as you handle the emergency. This is why expertise is very vital. The part that is bleeding away, may not be the most important part that was injured. Identify what cost the most imminent threats to life and address them. A timely response saves lives.”
In a remark, Group Managing Director, Hygeia Group, Mrs. Fola Laoye stated that continuous improvement of healthcare has made Lagoon hospitals to meet global standards in all specialties that they handle.
In his paper titled; “Acute Surgical Specialties and Governance” Chief of Surgery, Lagoon Hospitals, Dr. Olujimi Coker decried the poor number of surgeons in the country saying “In Nigeria, the ratio of surgeon to patient was 1 to 250,000 people while in some countries, it is 1 surgeon to 50 people.
Coker said that this gives cause for concern in a country that wants to offer quality health care delivery.
He described risk management as systematic application of management policies, procedures and practices to enable an organisation identify, assess, treat and monitor risk. On “Patient Safety and Quality Improvement in Lagoon Hospitals,” Dr. Olawunmi Oluborode of Quality Improvement Unit, Lagoon Hospitals disclosed that 1 in 4 patients that suffer patients safety incidence dies. She harped that the five important parameters in patient treatment are right drug, right patient, right dose and at the right time.”
