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Cited by 345Healthcare Quality and ManagementHealth Policy Implementation SciencePrimary Care and Health Outcomes

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 31 of the 31 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Understanding the barriers to setting up a healthcare quality improvement process in resource-limited settings: a situational analysis at the Medical Department of Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi

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Agyeman-Duah, Josephine Nana Afrakoma, Theurer, Antje, Munthali, Charles, Alide, Noor, Neuhann, Florian·2014·BMC Health Services Research
DOI 10.1186/1472-6963-14-1PMC PMC3880175
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Knowledge regarding the best approaches to improving the quality of healthcare and their implementation is lacking in many resource-limited settings. The Medical Department of Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi set out to improve the quality of care provided to its patients and establish itself as a recognized centre in teaching, operations research and supervision of district hospitals. Efforts in the past to achieve these objectives were short-lived, and largely unsuccessful. Against this background, a situational analysis was performed to aid the Medical Department to define and prioritize its quality improvement activities. METHODS: A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods was applied using checklists for observed practice, review of registers, key informant interviews and structured patient interviews. The mixed methods comprised triangulation by including the perspectives of the clients, healthcare providers from within and outside the department, and the field researcher's perspectives by means of document review and participatory observation. RESULTS: Human resource shortages, staff attitudes and shortage of equipment were identified as major constraints to patient care, and the running of the Medical Department. Processes, including documentation in registers and files and communication within and across cadres of staff were also found to be insufficient and thus undermining the effort of staff and management in establishing a sustained high quality culture. Depending on their past experience and knowledge, the stakeholder interviewees revealed different perspectives and expectations of quality healthcare and the intended quality improvement process. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a quality improvement process in resource-limited settings is an enormous task, considering the host of challenges that these facilities face. The steps towards changing the status quo for improved quality care require critical self-assessment, the willingness to change as well as determined commitment and contributions from clients, staff and management.

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Figure 1 Patient flow pattern at the medical department, June 2010.
Figure 1 Patient flow pattern at the medical department, June 2010.CC BY · PubMed Central

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Metadata

Authors
Agyeman-Duah, J. N. A., Theurer, A., Munthali, C., Alide, N., & Neuhann, F.
Affiliations
  • Kamuzu Central Hospital (MW)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
Corresponding author
Agyeman-Duah, Josephine Nana Afrakoma
ORCID
Venue
BMC Health Services Research
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014-01-02
Volume
14
Issue
1
Pages
1-1
ISSN
1472-6963 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/1472-6963-14-1
PMC
PMC3880175
OpenAlex
W2121395472
Cited by
345
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 2
FWCI
56.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Health Services Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Greater South Information System
Funders
  • Universität Heidelberg
  • Katholischer Akademischer Ausländer-Dienst
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Healthcare Quality and Management
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Family Practice › Primary Care and Health Outcomes
Keywords
healthcare quality improvement, resource-limited settings, barriers to quality improvement, human resource shortage, employee attitudes, medical equipment shortage, internal communication, quality culture, teaching hospitals, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi
MeSH terms
Attitude of Health Personnel, Developing Countries, Hospital Administration, Hospitals, Hospitals, Teaching, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Malawi, Personnel, Hospital, Quality of Health Care, Quality Improvement

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