KATH takes steps to bring more efficiency

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso, has announced plans to deploy a new software that would make its operations paperless and bring more efficiency.

The Hospital Administration and Management Software (HAMS), he said, could begin operating before the close of the year.

He was speaking at a mid-year performance review meeting of the referral facility in Kumasi.

Dr. Owusu-Danso said it was time the management and staff worked with passion to convince patients to choose the facility as a first option but not a last resort for their medical needs.

He added that they had no choice but to up their game - improve the quality of services.

He reminded them that the hospital’s ability to survive and deliver on its mandate would to a large extent depend on how well they treated and cared for the patients.

Dr. Owusu-Danso underlined the determination of the management and the board to take steps to address some of the challenges facing the facility.

There would be training and re-training of the staff, improvement of the procurement system to achieve greater value for investments, the introduction of performance-based reward schemes to increase productivity and staff motivation.

He also spoke of expenditure control and revenue enhancement strategies to improve the finances of the hospital.

He said special clinics, under an intramural scheme, would be set up to provide specialist healthcare to private and corporate patients, who would want to seek care at their convenience.

Dr. Owusu-Danso said they would continue to lobby and seek support for the acquisition of a new oxygen plant and the completion of the 42-year-old maternal and children’s block.

He indicated that a careful look at the mid-year performance of some directorates and units showed decreases in attendance and that affected revenue.