Experiences of a healthcare quality and safety expert in the largest military hospital in Ghana

Quality of care is the degree to which health care services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge (IOM, 2001). The Institutional Care Division of Ghana Health Service (2013) has adopted two definitions for quality healthcare which includes: “the degree to which health care interventions are in accordance with standards, safe, efficient, affordable, meet the expectations of clients and the community, and impact positively on morbidity, disability and mortality” and “is the extent to which health services provided to individuals and patient populations improve desired health outcomes. The care should be based on the strongest clinical evidence and provided in a technically and culturally competent manner with good communication and shared decision making”. The 37 Military Hospital is the largest military hospital in Ghana described as a specialist hospital located in Accra, Ghana. The hospital was originally founded in 1941 as a military hospital by a British Military Officer, General George Giffard to provide treatment for troops who were injured during the Second World War. The hospital has been expanded over the years and opened to the general civilian population. The hospital has become one of the major facilities especially in Greater Accra that has come to the rescue of the hospital-going population during strike actions by health workers especially doctors. It has also served as a major facility of respite for some major national disasters notably in recent times, the twin disaster that hit Accra on June 3, 2015 killing over 150 people. The Hospital has one of the magnificent infrastructures and is no wonder the first point of call for the bourgeoisies in Ghana. This write-up provides an account of my experiences as a patient relative to the Medical Emergency Unit (MEU), Pharmacy, 37 Chemist, Laboratory & the X-ray Departments of the Hospital. It also includes some of the experiences my mum shared with me