Workshops to tackle international standards for managing hospital infection rates

MANILA, Philippines - Hospitals and other healthcare providers in the country are encouraged to learn from international experts about how to achieve world-class standards in “Hospital Infection Control” and “Management of Medication and Patient Safety” in the workshops to be held at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center on March 11-13.

These workshops are organized by HealthCORE in partnership with NABH International, and supported and endorsed by the Asian Society for Quality in Health (the Asian wing of ISQua, the International Society for Quality in Healthcare). 

Both workshops are accredited for CME units by the Philippine Medical Association.

Preventing HAIs

Hospital acquired infection (HAI) is a serious problem for patients confined in hospitals because their immune systems are already compromised by their illness or suppressed by medications.

They are also at risk for infection because of their exposure to contaminated surfaces and equipment (intubation tubes, catheters, surgical drains, ventilators, etc.) 

Hospital infection rates are increasing around the world, indicating that too many hospitals are not strictly following standards for preventing HAIs.

In the United States, for example, around 99,000 deaths every year result from hospital acquired infection, with an estimated 1.7 million cases of HAIs per year (according to the CDC website, citing the report, “Estimating Healthcare-associated Infections and Deaths in US Hospitals”).

Unfortunately, the Philippines has yet to track and estimate the number of hospital-acquired infections that occur in its hospitals.

HAIs add burden to an already taxed healthcare system, worsen hospital patient’s condition and cause life-threatening complications, and prevent the fast turnover of hospital beds.

The workshops will teach participants international standards in preventing HAIs, including those set by the Center for Disease Control, among others.

Proper drug management

There will also be a workshop on “Management of Medication and Patient Safety” which will teach international standards that increase patient safety through proper management and administration of drugs, as well as monitoring of patient’s drug use.

Topics covered in this workshop include “Developing a Formulary List and Its Management”; “How to Assess Drug Efficacy, Safety, and Quality”; “Cost Evaluation of Formulary Drugs”; “Identifying and Understanding Drug Use Problems”; “Monitoring and Reducing Medication Errors”; and “Understanding, Monitoring, and Reducing Adverse Drug Reaction.”

The standards being taught in the workshops are meant to accomplish two things: help upgrade patient safety and patient care in Philippine hospitals to international standards; and teach hospitals and healthcare providers how these standards can make it easier for them to get international accreditation.

“International accreditation for hospitals and other healthcare facilities is a global trend. Such accreditation is a basic requirement for any healthcare provider that wishes to be a preferred destination for medical travel. What we need to remember, though, is that first and foremost, improved patient safety and patient care are the best reasons for healthcare providers to level up their standards, procedures, operations, and facilities. In short, these workshops benefit both healthcare providers and their patients,” said NABH International honorary advisor Dr. Sanjiv Malik.

According to HealthCORE executive director Joyce Alumno, “It is very rare for experts such as those we have in these workshops, in the fields of hospital infection control, management of medication, and patient safety, to ever conduct workshops in the Philippines. Usually such expertise is only available overseas, at much greater cost to our Filipino healthcare providers. Hence, we encourage our healthcare administrators to take advantage of this opportunity,” she said.

In terms of cost availability, and content, HealthCORE workshops are tailor-fit for hospitals in the Philippines. Furthermore, since workshop standards conform to ISQua, hospitals that finish the training will be one step ahead when it comes to accreditation.

“Healthcare providers who participate in these workshops are, in fact, already one step in getting accreditation: they will learn the standards and then the processes involved, and we can even help them process their application if they wish to go ahead and apply for international accreditation,” Alumno added.

Alumno explained that securing international accreditation for Philippine healthcare providers is beneficial for the entire healthcare sector and Filipino patients. 

For the healthcare providers, they will be truly certified that their standards are world-class, which would encourage overseas patients to prefer them as medical travel destinations.

Patients, on the other hand, both Filipinos and those from overseas, will be able to have the assurance that they are getting the best patient care when they go to these healthcare providers.

For inquiries or registration, call (+632) 468-9999 or (+63.917) 893-8762, e-mail at [email protected]. or visit www.healthcore.com.ph.