Health facilities in Lagos receive SafeCare award

On the occasion of the final evaluation of the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) health insurance program, fifteen health facilities in the program were recognized with a SafeCare award for remarkable improvement in their healthcare services. Five of these facilities received an extra accolade during a high profile stakeholder workshop in Ikeya, Lagos.

The CAPDAN program, which ran from 2009 to 2014, provided access to quality healthcare for the low- and middle income members of small IT businesses in Lagos. It was run by Hygeia Community Health Care (HCHC), with support from PharmAccess, and funded and administered by GPOBA and the World Bank respectively. Health facilities in the program were enrolled in SafeCare, an internationally recognized quality improvement and certification program. By measuring the level of quality through a set framework, SafeCare creates transparency and acts as a tool for self-regulation and benchmarking. As a result, these facilities were able to improve their healthcare delivery and the quality of their services, leading to high patient satisfaction ratings. Fifteen facilities that have shown significant progress within the SafeCare program received an award to celebrate their success.

The CAPDAN program was recently reviewed by the World Bank. During the workshop on Tuesday, June 17th 2014, PharmAccess and its partners shared results and the approach to quality improvement taken within the program. Over 60 stakeholders attended, including the Ogun State, Bayelsa State and Lagos State Commissioners for Health, representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, IFC, the World Bank, the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID), Hygeia, SQHN, Shell-SPDC, Marie Stopes Nigeria, Society for Family Health, managing directors of healthcare providers in Lagos, the HEFAMAA (Lagos licensing body) chairperson and the Private Practitioners’ Association (AGPMPN) president.

SafeCare director Nicole Spieker lauded the effort of all involved: “The government ministries and the service providers have embraced change. What is required is for all stakeholders in the private and public sector to collaborate to achieve this quality standard in healthcare facilities across the country.” The review of the CAPDAN program reveals that the overall quality of the facilities in the health insurance program has improved. One of the areas in which the facilities showed considerable progress was maternal and child care. For example, the program recorded no maternal mortality among over 1,698 deliveries between 2009 and 2013. The evaluation also showed that an average of 74% of the CAPDAN enrollees who had accessed care said they were very satisfied with the quality of healthcare delivery at the various facilities.

Awards ceremony
In a ceremony that concluded the workshop, Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr. Jide Idris presented the SafeCare awards. He emphasized that he was proud of the remarkable progress made by the Lagos facilities, who now serve as an example for other healthcare providers, and addressed the importance of quality improvement in meeting the healthcare needs of the state. While recognizing the efforts of all fifteen health facilities, he presented five awards of distinction to those facilities who have achieved exceptional success in improving the quality of their healthcare services.

Mr. Kunle Adeyemi won an award for his personal achievement as Executive Director of Crystal Specialist Hospital, and explained how SafeCare made a difference at his facility: “You need a framework to measure how you are doing because without the framework you will get mixed feedback from the stakeholders. We adopted the SafeCare standards and approach.  This means a lot to us because it demonstrates our progress. The results we have seen are tangible and not subjective. About 75-80% of our clients are through the HMOs (health maintenance organizations) and these HMOs come to us asking, ‘What are you doing that is different?’ We tell them we work with SafeCare to provide safe care.”

SafeCare award winners

Awards for distinction

– Osuntunyi Medical Centre, Obanikoro (Award for Excellence – Best Overall Facility 2013)
– Subol Hospital (Award for Excellence – Most Improved Facility 2012-2013)
– Mr. Kunle Adeyemi, Executive Director of Crystal Specialist Hospital (Merit Award – Most Distinguished ED/MD 2012-2013)
– Orile Agege General Hospital (Merit Award – Exceptional Team Performance 2012-2013)
– Hygeia Community Health Care (Leadership Award – Outstanding Technical Assistance Partner 2012-2013)

Awards for participation

– Aniyun Hospital
– Crystal Specialist Hospital
– May Clinics Ltd
– Orile Agege General Hospital
– Osuntuyi Medical Centre Iju
– Osuntuyi Medical Centre Obanikoro
– St. Mary’s Specialist Hospital
– Subol Hospital
– Randle General Hospital, Surulere
– Adefemi Hospital
– Blue Cross Hospital
– Hillstar Hospital
– Longing Medical Centre
– Krown hospital
– Promise Medical Centre

Press Coverage

Business Day: ‘Driving quality healthcare through community based insurance’ <click here>

Financial Guardian: ‘Health insurance providers get SafeCare award’ <click here>