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The Medical Director of Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyoh, has reiterated the hospital’s commitment to the safety of its patients.
According to him, the hospital has ensured that patients visiting the hospital are free from medical errors and the accompanying adverse effects associated with the provision and services of health care.
Furthermore, he observed that medical care has become effective and has also become complex with the emergence of new technologies along with drugs and treatments.
These developments, he said, have led to a more challenging task of offering treatment and care to patients, but Greater Accra Regional Hospital has been able to deal with most situations due to the strong medical and care regimen systems in place.
Dr Srofenyoh spoke at a stakeholder awareness program on ‘Patient Safety’ as part of the activities marking this year’s ‘World Patient Safety Day’, which was celebrated on Thursday 17 September 2020.
This year’s event was themed on Healthcare Worker Safety – A Patient Safety Priority.
The event brought together the best doctors of the hospital, some of the staff, patients and clients, including their families, to discuss the security systems that the Regional Hospital of Greater Accra had implemented.
“Relevant subject areas under the subject of patient safety include surgical safety, drug safety, health care acquired infections, and health care waste management. Emphasis is placed on the delivery system of care that prevents mistakes, learning from mistakes that occur, and is also based on a culture of safety that involves healthcare professionals, organizations and patients, “revealed Dr. Srogenyoh.
He commended the media for the critical role they have played in shaping and making Ghana’s health care part of his priorities in directing public engagement.
Also addressing the same platform,
Dr. Reuben Ngissah, Head of the Department of Surgery at Greater Accra Regional Hospital, in his presentation, revealed that patient safety is defined as “no accidental injury” caused by “medical care”.
Patient safety encompasses 6 main domains including patient care, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, and fairness.
He stressed the need for everyone to worry, as medical errors have caused many deaths around the world.
“In the United States, medical errors are the third leading cause of death with 440,000 reported deaths,” he revealed.
Dr. Reuben Ngissah said that patient safety is based on organizational culture, leadership and effective communications.
It also revealed that the Hospital has also encouraged the SABR Practice Sheet that provides a patient’s situation, history, evaluation, recommendation, records, and history.
For his part, GARH Head of Pharmacy, Joseph Adjei Tsiase, in his presentation on drug safety, said that with the increasing reliance on drug therapy as primary interventions, the majority of sick patients receiving interventions with Medicines are exposed to potential harm and benefit.
“Drug safety is defined as the absence of preventable harm with the use of drugs. (ISMP[Institute of Safe Medication Practice] Canada, 2007). Therefore, there is a need to ensure patient safety with respect to administered drugs. To guarantee safety, there should be the acquisition of effective, safe, quality and profitable drugs; effective and adequate storage of medicines; creation of a therapeutic and drugs committee; ensure documentation / rational use drugs and reporting of adverse reactions, “said the chief pharmacist.
He also recommended an appropriate indication (the reason for prescribing is based on sound medical consideration; appropriate medication, considering efficacy, safety, suitability for the patient and cost; appropriate dose, administration and duration of treatment, appropriate patient, correct dispensing and patient compliance.
Ms. Mavis Aggrey, IPC also spoke on Healthcare Acquired Infections and Healthcare Waste Management.
