Giving power to the people

It always seems impossible until it’s done.  Nelson Mandela

The pandemic has been challenging to us all and has changed our lives. In the message in the last newsletter I wrote that we have had hard times but also there have been good times. 

The pandemic has been challenging to us all and has changed our lives. In the message in the last newsletter I wrote that we have had hard times but also there have been good times. In the second of the series I reflect on how we can have a different model of healthcare to be in the future – if we want to change.

The pandemic continues to be a challenge, though it provides an opportunity for us to reflect and reconsider the design of the healthcare system. One of the challenges we have faced has been the difficulty in preserving person centred care due to the ferocity of the virus and the response to decrease infection. Often people have been left to live alone, to die alone and mothers to give birth alone. We have learnt of the fragility of the concept of person centered care. Much that had been gained over the past 20 years was lost in a flash.

So the challenge now is how can we think differently, so that the concept and principles of person centredness is not something we want to do but is it what we actually do.

At ISQua we have been moving this way for some time and in the past few months we have demonstrated our deep belief in person centered care.  The foundations were laid by our patient representatives on the Board. First Russell McGowan, and then Sara Yaron made sure that the patient as a person was represented at the highest level. They challenged us to do better and to place people at the centre of our work.

In 2020 we doubled the people’s representative on the Board and Anna Edwards and Isabela Castro now represent patients in our decision making.  Also, we have established a Person and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) to drive the people’s agenda in ISQua. This is a vital move as it reflects that ISQua will lead on person centered care at every level – in the development of strategy and on all our committees. I salute all who give of their time on PFAC – Anna Edwards, Co-Chair (UK), Isabela Castro, Co-Chair (Brazil), Allison Koojiman (Canada), Sara Yaron (Israel), Amina Hussein Mohamud (Dubai), Angie Hamson (Canada), Lisa Freeman (USA), Orly Herman (Israel), and Hussain Jafri (Pakistan).

To support this endeavor, we soon will be publishing a paper written by a group led by Gro Rosvold Berntsen about what Person Centered Care really is. To follow our successful Coproduction Learning Journey,  we will publish a supplement on Coproduction led by ISQua Academy Members Gene Nelson, and Paul Batalden with Tina Foster from Dartmouth Institute. This will be published in May.

As I look back over the past 5 years, we have come a long way. We have placed the people at the centre and the only way we can go is forward. Everything is possible!

For more on the People’s Voice, Production and much more join us at the ISQua Virtual Florentine Conference 8-11 July. Register here:https://events.lenagroup.eu/2020/net/isqua/

Dr Peter Lachman,

ISQua CEO

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Nourhan Kawtharani

Nourhan, a quality and safety coordinator with eight years of experience in ambulatory healthcare in Lebanon, aims to deepen her understanding of the systemic and holistic approach to healthcare through this fellowship.

She aims to identify gaps and develop tailored interventions that address specific contexts rather than applying general solutions. Engaging with diverse professionals and perspectives during this educational journey will expand the application of these concepts across different cultural settings.

Nourhan emphasizes the importance of promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement within healthcare institutions, considering it a vital leadership responsibility to integrate quality and safety initiatives into the organizational culture.

Nourhan's commitment to patient safety and quality management includes sourcing practical resources and transforming insights into actionable knowledge to drive continued progress in healthcare practices and outcomes.

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Elom Otchi

Elom is passionate about improving quality of care and patient safety outcomes.

In view of this, he has had the opportunity to work in various capacities with various organisations including AfIHQSA, WHO, UNICEF and others undertaking research, supporting the development of national quality policies and strategies, facilitating the establishment of quality governance systems across all the levels of the health sector and building capacity of national and sub-national quality leads/teams to institutionalize the practice of quality and patient safety across the continent.

He has also worked extensively across all levels of care in the health sector of Ghana, including leading the Quality & Patient Safety program in its largest teaching hospital.

I would like to use this Fellowship as a learning platform and an opportunity to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to complement ongoing efforts by like-minded individuals and organizations to continuously advance improve the quality and patient safety in Ghana and the continent.

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Stephen Taiye Balogun

Stephen is a Senior Programme Officer at the Institute of Human Virology in Nigeria as well as Country Representative for Health Information for All (HIFA).

Stephen plans to use this opportunity to maximise his impact by championing the cause of patient safety and quality in Nigeria and across Africa.

Stephen says "Quality and safety is a major wheel through which universal healthcare coverage can be achieved. The goal is to be a bridge in the gap between the International Quality Improvement and Patient Safety community and my country to ensure rapid spread, adoption, implementation and practice."

We are looking forward to working with both Stephen and our 2020 winner Rhoda Kalondu over the next year.

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Dr Rhoda Kalondu

Rhoda is the Head of the Patient Safety Unit at Kenyatta Hospital in Nairobi and wants to use this Fellowship to learn how to establish a culture of safety and develop systems for assessment and analysis at her institution, and more widely. As well as this, Rhoda intends to develop and execute an intervention to improve patient safety in Kenyatta National Hospital.

It is one thing to institute measures and processes for improvement, but quite another to change the culture of an environment. Rhoda's ambition to lead others in this change inspired the panel.

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Dr Subhrojyoti Bhowmick

I am an MBBS graduate from Calcutta University with a Gold Medal in Gynecology & Obstetrics.

I have completed M.D in Pharmacology from IPGME& R, Kolkata and have over 12 years of experience in the field of Clinical Research, Pharmacovigilance and Medication management in Hospitals.

I have completed certification in Clinical Research Administration & Project Management from Stanford University, USA and in Patient Safety from Johns Hopkins University, USA.

I am an Assessor for National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Health care providers (NABH), India assessing hospitals for medication safety and clinical quality standards and NABH Assessor for Ethics Committee Accreditation program in India as well.

I serve as the Chairperson, Institutional Ethics Committee of Health Point Hospital, Kolkata and am associated with 2 other Hospital ethics committees as a member.

I finished my Fellowship in Healthcare Quality from the International Society of Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) from Ireland in 2017.

I have published several research articles and have also authored a chapter on “Regulations governing Clinical Trial” in the book “Fundamentals of Clinical Trial & Research”.

I am a peer reviewer for prestigious international journals like the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, CNS Drugs and Drug Safety case reports.

I am the recipient of the UK Seth Oration Award for Best Clinical Pharmacology paper by the Indian Pharmacological Society in 2009 and the “Most promising Healthcare professional in Patient Safety in India” award by the Asian African Chamber of Commerce and Industry in October 2018.

Recently in April 2019, I received the Young Quality Achiever award by Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations (CAHO), India for 2019 for my work in the field of medication safety and clinical research.

I have a keen interest in teaching and am visiting adjunct faculty of Pharmacology at KMC, Mangalore, India and for Healthcare technology at MAKAUT, Kolkata, India.

I was associated with Stanford University School of Medicine, in the USA as a Senior Clinical Research Associate from 2015 to 2017 and have certification in Biostatistics, Evidence-based Medicine and Medical Writing from Stanford University.

Currently, I am working as the Clinical Director of Academics, Medical Quality and Clinical Research at Peerless Hospital and B K Roy Research Centre, Kolkata.

I am very happy and thrilled to receive the prestigious ISQua Lucian Leape Patient safety Fellowship Award for 2019 and I look forward to honing my skills further in the field of healthcare quality and patient safety through my experiences during this fellowship.

I sincerely believe that successful completion of this fellowship will help me evolve as a more confident Patient safety leader in India who in turn can provide significant inputs on policy changes through NABH for the Indian healthcare system.

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