Achievement of African partnerships for patient safety (APPS)

10 December 2012

Objective 1 Achievements: Partnership Strength

The unique partnership approach to tackling patient safety has worked very effectively in some cases; hard lessons have been learned in others. The APPS network has refined and led global thinking in the area of partnership development that is now being used by partnership-focused organizations across the world.

"We have faced many challenges together but achieved gains in a short time – in fact the patient safety approach at Gondar has been used by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health in hospitals across the country.”
- Dr Gashaw Getahun – APPS Focal Point, Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia

Hospital to Hospital APPS Partnerships

Supported over 17 Hospital to Hospital APPS Partnerships between countries in Africa and Europe - the first of their kind centred on developing safer health-care systems. Partnerships have now developed within and between countries of the WHO African region as well as being established across the globe. Hospital partnerships with US institutions were launched in 2014.

Definition of Partnership and working principles

APPS engaged with initial APPS partnerships to co-define a set of seven partnership principles on which hospital to hospital partnership working is based and co-developed an APPS definition of partnership.


APPS has a 2-year patient safety partnership planning template developed and refined by APPS through joint working with the initial partnerships. This is now being used by hospital-to-hospital partnerships globally, focusing on patient safety.APPS Planning Framework

Partnership Workshops

Developed a model for partnership workshops, designed for partners to identify priorities and undertake technical planning. APPS has supported and hosted a series of workshops to support patient safety partnership development.

Measurement of Partnership Strength

Co-developed a mechanism to evaluate the strength of individual partnerships – this can be used in both patient safety and other types of institutional partnerships.

Literature Synthesis – Learning from the “developing world”

Conducted a first-of-its-kind synthesis of developing country innovations that can potentially inform health systems in developed countries focused on the concept of "reverse innovation" and “global innovation flow”.


Partnership Focused Organizations - Bridge

APPS has provided a “patient safety bridge” between organizations with a focus on partnership-based approaches to health system improvement.
The Global Catalyst Group for Institutional Health Partnerships has been established as a result. Working with four other organizations whose focus is also on the model of ‘Partnership’ between institutions for the improvement of health, APPS has supported the establishment of The Global Catalyst Group for Institutional Health Partnerships. The group provides a “bridge” between multiple organizations across the world experienced in the partnership based approach to improvement. The overall purpose of the group is to promote the utility of institutional health partnerships in strengthening health systems and in delivering effective health services through resources, positions statements and collaborative activities.

Group Membership

 

 



Objective 2 Achievements: Patient Safety Improvement

Patient Safety Situational Analysis

Developed an approach to conducting a patient safety situational analysis framed around 12 action areas and defined by African regional policy. Analyses conducted in all 14 African hospitals - the first such attempt in African health systems and the basis of partnerships activity planning. Repeat analysis has provided valuable evaluation of activity for the first wave partners.

    Patient Safety Resource Map

    Developed a prototype map outlining relevant patient safety resources available in each of the 12 patient safety action areas. The map is the first of its kind, providing a "one-stop shop" for patient safety resources.

    APPS Evaluation Framework

    Novel APPS evaluation framework and support tools developed to capture findings from each partnership in each of the APPS core objectives.

      Patient Safety Teams

      Patient safety teams established in each of the APPS partnership hospitals to lead patient safety improvement, which has created momentum for improved patient safety within each organization.

      Hand Hygiene Improvement

      Methods used to improve hand hygiene in partnership hospitals, including technical workshops, more than 20 reciprocal visits for person-to-person knowledge and skills transfer.

      Catalyzed Patient Safety Activities

      Catalyzed patient safety action in a range of areas, including safe surgery, patient safety knowledge and learning, health-care waste management, health-care worker protection, medication safety and research. These action areas have been developed on the basis of specific priorities identified by each partnership. 

       

       

       


      Objective 3 Achievements: Patient Safety Spread

      WHO AFRO

      Conducted first patient safety consultation with colleagues in each Division at the WHO African Regional Office in Brazzaville. These colleagues are well placed to support regional patient safety spread. Conducted briefings to each WHO AFRO Inter-country Support Team Office to facilitate patient safety technical support to all countries in the WHO African Region.

      Regional Patient Safety Policy

      Developed a model to translate regional patient safety policy into action in African institutions, using the 12 action areas as a technical framework – regional policy to front-line action.

      APPS Approach Series

      Co-developed a series of papers with partners that defines the APPS approach on patient safety spread, community engagement, sustainability, evidence-policy strengthening.

        Patient Safety Advocacy Days

        APPS hospitals in Africa hosted national patient safety advocacy days, convening in-country stakeholders and raising awareness of patient safety amongst communities.

        National Policy

        Catalyzed the development of national interest in patient safety policy in each of the 1st wave countries - the starting point for sustained action. In Uganda, the APPS focal point received a presidential honour for his exemplary performance. He addressed a technical briefing session at the 2012 World Health Assembly.

        National Patient Safety Activity

        Ethiopia has taken the APPS Situational Analysis and used it as a baseline study tool for several hospitals across the country. Zimbabwe is planning to use it in around 100 hospitals as a national baseline and monitoring tool to address patient safety.