The perceptions of healthcare professionals about accreditation and its impact on quality of healthcare in Kuwait: a qualitative study.

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: The accreditation of healthcare organizations has been applied as a quality assurance mechanism of healthcare services. Kuwait health authorities implemented a national healthcare accreditation program at the governmental healthcare system. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) about healthcare accreditation, perceived challenges to implementing accreditation, and views on how to overcome these challenges. METHODS: A phenomenological qualitative framework was adopted to conduct focus group interviews to explore perceptions of HCPs about accreditation in governmental healthcare system. Data were collected from 30 HCPs using seven focus group interviews. The verbatim transcripts of the interviews were analysed using the framework approach. RESULTS: The HCPs indicated that accreditation enhanced patient safety culture at their organizations through staff adherence to good practices, improved documentation and patient handover practices, and incident reporting. The facilitators to the implementation of accreditation that emerged from interviews included administrative support, staff training about accreditation, and expansion in application of electronic systems. Participants reported several challenges to implementing accreditation including challenges related to staff (eg, high workload, burdens imposed by accreditation requirements), challenges related to organizational system and resources (eg, poor teamwork among HCPs, inadequate infrastructure in some facilities), and challenges related to patients (eg, poor understanding about accreditation). However, most participants expressed positive attitudes towards accreditation and appreciated its impact on quality of healthcare. Participants suggested ways to support accreditation such as increasing staff numbers to reduce workload, enhancing staff motivation and education about accreditation, developing proactive leadership and staff teamwork, and improving patients' awareness about accreditation. CONCLUSIONS: HCPs in Kuwait expressed positive attitudes towards accreditation while also recognizing the challenges that may hinder its implementation. The collaboration between different stakeholders in this process is essential to overcome these challenges and support HCPs to meet accreditation standards and improve quality of healthcare services.

Taking the learning beyond the individual: how reflection informs change in practice.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to explore the value of reflection and its application to practice through the implementation of educational modules within a new Diabetes Care and Education Master Degree Programme in Kuwait, and to realise how this teaching intervention informs changes in practice. METHODS: A small exploratory case study was conducted within the Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait. A qualitative approach using focus group interviews was carried out with seventeen participants all of whom are studying on the Diabetes Care and Education Master Degree Programme in Kuwait. An inductive approach to thematic analysis, which focused on examining themes within data, was performed. RESULTS: The results indicate that participants value the opportunity to study through organised, structured and assessed reflection. The learning provides useful information and support to the participant by highlighting the role which reflection plays to enhance personal and professional development, the value of educational theory, continuing professional development, collaboration and enhancing patient education and practice. CONCLUSIONS: The significance of reflection is often seen in the literature as an important aspect of professional competence. This research has highlighted the value of reflection as a key component within a new educational programme.

Distilling the essence of general practice: a learning journey in progress.

Over the past 5 years, general practice in the UK has undergone major change. Starting with the introduction of the new GMS contract in 2004, it has continued apace with the establishment of Postgraduate Medical Education Training Board, a GP training curriculum, and nMRCGP. The NHS is developing very differently in the four countries of the UK. Regulation of the profession is under review, and a system of relicensing, recertification, and revalidation is being introduced. The Essence project, initiated by RCGP Scotland in conjunction with International Futures Forum 4 years ago is a constructive response to these changes. It has included learning journeys, a discussion day for GPs, and commissioned short pieces of 100 words from GPs and patients. From an analysis of these, some characteristics of the essence of general practice have been defined. These include key roles and core personal qualities for GPs. It is argued that general practice has important and unique advantages - trust, coordination, continuity, flexibility, universal coverage, and leadership - which mean that it should continue to be central to the development of primary care throughout the UK.