From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin
Background: In 2015, the Army Teaching Hospital–University Teaching Hospital (HIA-CHU [Hôpital D’instruction des Armées de Cotonou Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire]) laboratory in Benin launched a quality improvement programme in alignment with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Af...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2021-02-01
|
| Series: | African Journal of Laboratory Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1057 |
| _version_ | 1817981078655205376 |
|---|---|
| author | Alban Zohoun Tatiana B. Agbodandé Angélique Kpadé Raliatou O. Goga René Gainsi Paul Balè Bibata M. Sambo Remi Charlebois Rachel Crane Michele Merkel Ludovic Anani Ekaterina Milgotina |
| author_facet | Alban Zohoun Tatiana B. Agbodandé Angélique Kpadé Raliatou O. Goga René Gainsi Paul Balè Bibata M. Sambo Remi Charlebois Rachel Crane Michele Merkel Ludovic Anani Ekaterina Milgotina |
| author_sort | Alban Zohoun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In 2015, the Army Teaching Hospital–University Teaching Hospital (HIA-CHU [Hôpital D’instruction des Armées de Cotonou Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire]) laboratory in Benin launched a quality improvement programme in alignment with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa’s Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA). Among the sub-Saharan African laboratories that have used SLIPTA, few have been francophone countries, and fewer have belonged to a military health system. The purpose of this article was to outline the strategy, implementation, outcomes and military-specific challenges of the HIA-CHU laboratory quality improvement programme from 2015 to 2018.
Intervention: The strategy for the quality improvement programme included: external baseline SLIPTA evaluation, creation of work plan based on SLIPTA results, execution of improvement projects guided by work plan, assurance of accountability via regular meetings, training of personnel to improve personnel competencies, development of external stakeholder relationships for sustainability and external follow-up post-SLIPTA evaluation.
Lessons learnt: Over a period of 3 years, the HIA-CHU laboratory improved its SLIPTA score by 29% through a quality improvement process guided by work plan implementation, quality management system documentation, introduction of new proficiency testing and internal quality control programmes, and enhancement of personnel competencies in technical and quality management through training.
Recommendations: The programme has yielded achievements, but consistent improvement efforts are necessary to address programme challenges and ensure continual increases in SLIPTA scores. Despite successes, military-specific challenges such as the high mobility of personnel have hindered programme progress. The authors recommend that further implementation research data be shared from programmes using SLIPTA in under-represented settings such as military health systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:01:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dac8505efabf4fef84ee9ffa6def815b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2225-2002 2225-2010 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:01:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Laboratory Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-dac8505efabf4fef84ee9ffa6def815b2022-12-22T02:25:50ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Laboratory Medicine2225-20022225-20102021-02-01101e1e710.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1057311From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, BeninAlban Zohoun0Tatiana B. Agbodandé1Angélique Kpadé2Raliatou O. Goga3René Gainsi4Paul Balè5Bibata M. Sambo6Remi Charlebois7Rachel Crane8Michele Merkel9Ludovic Anani10Ekaterina Milgotina11Department of Hematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, National University Hospital Center - Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin; and, Army Teaching Hospital, University Hospital Center, Cotonou,Department of Hematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, National University Hospital Center - Hubert Koutoukou Maga, CotonouArmy Teaching Hospital, University Hospital Center, CotonouArmy Teaching Hospital, University Hospital Center, CotonouArmy Teaching Hospital, University Hospital Center, CotonouArmy Teaching Hospital, University Hospital Center, CotonouArmy Teaching Hospital, University Hospital Center, CotonouGlobal Scientific Solutions for Health (GSSHealth), Baltimore, MarylandGlobal Scientific Solutions for Health (GSSHealth), Baltimore, MarylandGlobal Scientific Solutions for Health (GSSHealth), Baltimore, MarylandDepartment of Hematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, National University Hospital Center - Hubert Koutoukou Maga, CotonouGlobal Scientific Solutions for Health (GSSHealth), Baltimore, MarylandBackground: In 2015, the Army Teaching Hospital–University Teaching Hospital (HIA-CHU [Hôpital D’instruction des Armées de Cotonou Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire]) laboratory in Benin launched a quality improvement programme in alignment with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa’s Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA). Among the sub-Saharan African laboratories that have used SLIPTA, few have been francophone countries, and fewer have belonged to a military health system. The purpose of this article was to outline the strategy, implementation, outcomes and military-specific challenges of the HIA-CHU laboratory quality improvement programme from 2015 to 2018. Intervention: The strategy for the quality improvement programme included: external baseline SLIPTA evaluation, creation of work plan based on SLIPTA results, execution of improvement projects guided by work plan, assurance of accountability via regular meetings, training of personnel to improve personnel competencies, development of external stakeholder relationships for sustainability and external follow-up post-SLIPTA evaluation. Lessons learnt: Over a period of 3 years, the HIA-CHU laboratory improved its SLIPTA score by 29% through a quality improvement process guided by work plan implementation, quality management system documentation, introduction of new proficiency testing and internal quality control programmes, and enhancement of personnel competencies in technical and quality management through training. Recommendations: The programme has yielded achievements, but consistent improvement efforts are necessary to address programme challenges and ensure continual increases in SLIPTA scores. Despite successes, military-specific challenges such as the high mobility of personnel have hindered programme progress. The authors recommend that further implementation research data be shared from programmes using SLIPTA in under-represented settings such as military health systems.https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1057laboratory medicinestepwise laboratory improvement process towards accreditationsliptaquality improvementlaboratory quality improvementmilitary laboratoryquality assuranceslmtastrengthening laboratory management toward accreditation |
| spellingShingle | Alban Zohoun Tatiana B. Agbodandé Angélique Kpadé Raliatou O. Goga René Gainsi Paul Balè Bibata M. Sambo Remi Charlebois Rachel Crane Michele Merkel Ludovic Anani Ekaterina Milgotina From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin African Journal of Laboratory Medicine laboratory medicine stepwise laboratory improvement process towards accreditation slipta quality improvement laboratory quality improvement military laboratory quality assurance slmta strengthening laboratory management toward accreditation |
| title | From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin |
| title_full | From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin |
| title_fullStr | From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin |
| title_full_unstemmed | From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin |
| title_short | From benchmarking to best practices: Lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in Cotonou, Benin |
| title_sort | from benchmarking to best practices lessons from the laboratory quality improvement programme at the military teaching hospital in cotonou benin |
| topic | laboratory medicine stepwise laboratory improvement process towards accreditation slipta quality improvement laboratory quality improvement military laboratory quality assurance slmta strengthening laboratory management toward accreditation |
| url | https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1057 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT albanzohoun frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT tatianabagbodande frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT angeliquekpade frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT raliatouogoga frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT renegainsi frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT paulbale frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT bibatamsambo frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT remicharlebois frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT rachelcrane frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT michelemerkel frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT ludovicanani frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin AT ekaterinamilgotina frombenchmarkingtobestpracticeslessonsfromthelaboratoryqualityimprovementprogrammeatthemilitaryteachinghospitalincotonoubenin |