In September 2023, WALIMU, together with the Institute of Global Health at BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre (IGH-BCCWH) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, was honored to co-sponsor the "Digital Health Innovations for Quality Improvement: Smart Discharges Integration Workshop” at Speke Resort Hotel in Kampala, Uganda. The workshop was hosted by the Uganda Ministry of Health, Department of Maternal, Reproductive and Child Health, and marked a significant step toward enhancing healthcare in Uganda through digital innovation.
For the past 10 years, IGH-BCCWH has been working with WALIMU, the Uganda Ministry of Health, and partners across East Africa to develop and validate data-driven quality improvement approaches (i.e., ‘Smart QI’) that improve outcomes and reduce death for vulnerable children and women. These approaches span from facility-level triage of children (e.g., Smart Triage) to post-discharge care for children and mothers following a serious infection or following delivery (e.g., Smart Discharges). This workshop aimed to strengthen partnerships and co-develop a strategy for integrating Smart QI into a scalable and adaptable platform that can be implemented at health facilities across Uganda and beyond.
Owayezu Vianney, Coordinator at the Ministry of Health, Division of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, first highlighted
key opportunities for Smart QI to advance priorities of the Ministry of Health, such as supporting improved transitions in care for newborns and children. Solomon Muhumuza, Data Governance & Security Special from the Division of Health Information, then provided an
overview of the Ministry’s Health Information and Digital Health Strategic Plan. This included progress towards implementing EMR’s across public health facilities in Uganda, capacity-building efforts among health workers, and national standards for interoperability. He also provided insights into the Ministry of Health’s requirements for adopting new digital health innovations like Smart QI.
Over 50 individuals attended the workshop, including representatives from UNICEF, the WHO, and the Ministry of Health’s Departments of Child Health, Community Health, Digital Health, and Planning. Several partners shared how they have implemented Smart QI within their facilities, and the impact these approaches have had on quality of care.
- Mr. Samuel Mugisha D.C, Streamline Health Tech CEO, shared how Smart Discharges and Smart Triage have been integrated into the Stre@mline EMR at Kisiizi Hospital.
- Dr. Stephen Businge, Medical Director of Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital, highlighted how Smart Triage has helped improve care for children presenting to the outpatient department at facilities within the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau.
- Dr. Harriet Nambuya, Pediatrician at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, shared how Smart Triage helped her team reduce time to treatment with antibiotics and admission rates for critically-ill children presenting to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital.
- Ms. Sheila Karungi, Malaria Consortium, shared progress integrating Smart Discharges into the electronic Community Health Information System in Buikwe District and closing the community linkage to care loop.
- Dr. Kenneth Caana, District Health Officer for Gulu District, shared how Smart Discharges has helped facilities improve the quality of discharge and post-discharge care within Gulu District.
- Ms Floska Aballo, a Village Health Team (VHT) member from Gulu District, shared how Smart Discharges has helped VHTs improve the counselling they provide to caregivers and bridged the gap between VHTs and facility-based health workers.
We are thankful for everyone who attended and contributed to the workshop’s success, and for the continued partnerships in improving the health and well-being of children, women, and families in Uganda and beyond.
This event was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
