A group photograph of Medical practitioners from KATH and the visiting team from Kansas University Medical Center as well as the Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Nsiah Asare (seated 4th from right).
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Professor Dr Dr Otchere Addai-Mensah says his outfit’s collaboration with the Kansas University Medical Center in the USA was yielding positive results.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of a conference held to evaluate and assess the programme between the two outfits dubbed “Hospital For Special Surgery”, the CEO said apart from benefitting from the training of KATH’s medical persons, the programme had also helped to reduce costs of conducting such surgeries for Orthopaedic patients.
The CEO noted that, KATH over the years had collaborated with the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the number one-ranked hospital in the U.S.A for Orthopaedics, with the aim of making KATH a Centre of Excellence in Orthopaedic / Trauma training, teaching and research in Africa.
“This collaboration started in 2018 with Dr. Alfred Jacob Aidoo, an Anaesthesiologist at KATH and Dr. Mark Brouillette of HSS spearheading a bidirectional academic and cultural exchange programme with University of Kansas Medical Centre, KUMC and having the opportunity to undertake a fellowship training at HSS in regional anaesthesia”, Prof Addai-Mensah narrated.
Details:
The CEO stated that before the collaboration, KATH and HSS researchers conducted a needs assessment to determine the hospital’s baseline practices as well as what the trainees wanted to learn.
He said thereafter, recommendations were made by an expert panel based on the needs assessment results, adding that the researchers then used this information to develop the final curriculum, which included lectures, simulation modules and hands-on instructions during patient care.
The impact of this assessment, Prof Addai-Mensah said was immediate as the use of peripheral nerve blocks as primary anaesthetic for upper extremity surgery increased from 44% to 63%, and the overall number of nerve blocks increase from 48 to 118 by 2019. Again, researchers found out that this program had effectively reduced patient costs. Out of 15 KATH physicians, 14 participated in the programme.
“The Global Regional Anaesthesia Curricular Engagement (GRACE) has also impacted knowledge, clinical skill and use of peripheral nerve blocks for extremity surgeries at KATH. We have seen tremendous interest of medical officers and residents not only perform regional blocks but also undertake fellowship training”, the CEO intimated.
Commendation:
Prof Addai-Mensah used the opportunity to commend the Kansas University Medical Center for the HSS project.
He noted that the programme has supported the training of the first regional fellow in regional anaesthesia at KATH with twice yearly visits by experts to the hospital.
The HSS team, he stated has also supported KATH over the years with donations of medical supplies and instruments.
Prof Addai-Mensah said KATH could not have reached this far without the high-quality faculty, donation and other resources from the US partners.
“Dr. Aidoo’s sacrifices and commitment to the initiation and sustenance of this collaboration cannot also be glossed over and he deserves a special commendation from the hospital”, the CEO posited.
Kansas University Team Lead:
Dr Andrew Grose, Team lead from the Kansas University Medical Center praised the KATH team for showing commitment for the exchange programme and partnership.
He noted that the partnership continues to open up new areas for research and development in the area of Orthopaedic and Anesthesia care.
The Team Lead said his outfit was committed to carrying out more training and research for staff at KATH to enable them to return to impact the care in Orthopaedics.
“It is imperative that more training and research are carried out in the areas under this HSS collaborative program so that we can conduct effective surgeries and treatment for persons who need same”, Dr Grose stated.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
