Evaluation of Quality Assurance of Activity against Accreditation Norms of the Imaging Services in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Purpose of Study: To study the radiological and imaging services in terms of Quality Assurance in relation to accreditation norms. Methods: We performed cross sectional evaluation of the data obtained from the participants in the study Semi structured both open and closed ended questionnaire were administered among the participants who were agreed to participate in the study. The questionnaire was formulated to evaluate different parameters of Quality Assurance Programme (QAP). The parameters were divided into structure, process and outcome measures and were derived from literature [National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health care Providers during accreditation of healthcare institutions]. Results: The radiology and imaging services of Vydehi Medical College Hospital was established in the year 2002, and was approved by AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) in the year 2007. The department was renewed by AERB in the year 2012. Checklist was formulated which includes several parameters in terms of structure, process and outcome measures. Conclusion: Quality assurance programme is to provide good patient timely care and the policies adopted by the department of radiology and imaging service in terms of quality are on par with standard guidelines in our study. Safe and sustainable quality care is the need of the hour and it can be practically achieved by regular monitoring of the quality assurance programme. Key words: Quality assurance; Imaging services; Utilisation; Guidelines; Healthcare

Micro-Compass quality assurance short programme: Designing effective quality assurance systems in HE Institutions in Bangladesh

Due to increased demand for quality education worldwide, the Higher education sector globally has been undergoing an unprecedented level of changes over the past several decades. These result in increased public expectations towards the institutions’ provision, new tasks and responsibilities for scholars and administrators, new modes of knowledge production and transfer. The abundance of individual and organisational change processes requires higher education institutions to rethink the quality of their provision in higher education. This study aims to examine the importance of the Fundamental of Quality Assurance of Higher Education Sector and the influence of a short training programme on quality assurance in developing excellence in education. Micro-CQAP (micro compass quality assurance programme) provides direction and focus that is based on evidence, appraisal, and experience. The study is based on the recent venture by the authors of this study providing a 5-days training programme to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (BSMRMU) and its impact on their overall quality assurance system within the university. The outcome of the training programme and findings of this study suggest that a short training programme on quality assurance within the institution enhances the overall understanding of Quality Assurance and help to implement it in practice more effectively and efficiently. The short programme was based on providing basic knowledge about what quality in higher education is, where it comes from, why quality assurance should & must be carried out, and how the process can be set up and managed at Higher Education institutions. This study is original as it was based on the experience, observations and feedback received after conducting the training programme from the participants. It has significant implications for the bother Higher Education Institutions, Government, and various stakeholders in Bangladesh.

Preanalytic and analytic factors affecting the measurement of haemoglobin concentration: impact on global estimates of anaemia prevalence

The accuracy of haemoglobin concentration measurements is crucial for deriving global anaemia prevalence estimates and monitoring anaemia reduction strategies. In this analysis, we examined and quantified the factors affecting preanalytic and analytic variation in haemoglobin concentrations. Using cross-sectional data from three field studies (in children, pregnant and nonpregnant women), we examined the difference in haemoglobin concentration between venous-drawn and capillary-drawn blood measured by HemoCue (ie, preanalytic) and modelled how the bias observed may affect anaemia prevalence estimates in population surveys and anaemia public health severity classification across countries. Using data from an international quality assurance programme, we examined differences due to instrumentation from 16 different haematology analyzers (ie, analytic). Results indicated that capillary and venous haemoglobin concentrations are not in agreement (bias +5.7 g/L (limits of agreement (LoA) −11.2, 22.6) in preschool age children; range from −28 g/L to +20 g/L in pregnant women; bias +8.8 g/L (LoA −5.2, 22.9) in non-pregnant women). The bias observed could introduce changes in population survey estimates of anaemia of up to −20.7 percentage points in children and −28.2 percentage points in non-pregnant women after venous adjustment. Analytic variation was minimal and unlikely to influence the diagnosis of anaemia. These findings suggest that global estimates of anaemia prevalence derived from capillary haemoglobin, as they often are, may be inaccurate and lead to erroneous public health severity classification, but that point-of-care, or other, instruments should not introduce variation if properly used.

Knowledge and practice of quality assurance programme of X ray equipment among radiographers in Kano Metropolis

The main goal of quality assurance programme is to consistently provide diagnostic information at the lowest possible cost, and at the least possible exposure of the patient to ionizing radiation. The study aims at evaluating the knowledge and practice of ray equipment among radiographers in Kano metropolis. The study design was prospective and cross sectional conducted among radiographers in the Kano metropolis from April 2019 to October 2019. Non-probability sampling meth used in the selection of the respondents. An ethical clearance to conduct the study was obtained from the Human Research and Ethics Committee of the Kano State Ministry of Health, and informed consent was obtained from every selected respondent. A s questionnaire was designed and used an instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by experienced colleagues, using a pilot study the reliability was rested and the chronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was found to be 0.7 one questionnaires were administered to the consented radiographers in Kano metropolis. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Out of the 41 (100%) administered questionnaires 36 (87%) were returned, and all the returned naires were properly filled. Only 3 (8.3%) known the meaning of quality assurance programme, only 12 (33.3%) know the components of quality assurance programme and only 6 (16.7%) know the frequency of computed radiography system average score for knowledge among radiographers in Kano metropolis is 44.9% and that of practice is 47.9%. The study concludes that radiographers in Kano metropolis have poor knowledge and pactice of quality assurance programme.

Impact of suspending minimum volume requirements for knee arthroplasty on hospitals in Germany: an uncontrolled before–after study

Background In 2004, the Federal Joint Committee, supreme decision-making body in German healthcare, introduced minimum volume requirements (MVRQs) as a quality instrument. Since then, MVRQs were implemented for seven hospital procedures. This study evaluates the effect of a system-wide intermission of MVRQ for total knee arthroplasty (TKA), demanding 50 annual cases per hospital. Methods An uncontrolled before–after study based on federal-level data including the number of hospitals performing TKA, and TKA cases from the external hospital quality assurance programme in Germany (2004–2017). Bi- and multivariate analyses based on hospital-level secondary data of TKA cases and TKA quality indicators extracted from hospital quality reports in Germany (2006–2014). Results The number of TKAs performed in Germany decreased by 11% after suspending the TKA-MVRQ in 2011, and rose by 13% after its reintroduction in 2015. The number of hospitals with less than 50 cases rose from 10 to 25% and their case share from 2 to 5.5% during suspension. Change in hospital volume after the suspension of TKA-MVRQ was not associated with hospital size, ownership, or region. All four evaluable quality indicators increased significantly in the year after their first public reporting. Compared to hospitals meeting the TKA-MVRQ, three indicators show slight but statistically significant better quality in hospitals below the TKA-MVRQ. Conclusions In Germany, TKA-MVRQs seem to induce in-hospital caseload adjustments rather than foster regional inter-hospital case transfers as intended.