Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Nairobi

In Nairobi, Kenya, Mater Misericordiae Hospital is a point of reference for the local community of South B, providing essential health services to the community since 1962. The hospital opened its doors back when medical care was not easily accessible to the inhabitants of South B because back then, medical care was only available to those with the means to pay for it. 

 

Throughout the years, Mater expanded and now comprises the hospital and five medical centers throughout Nairobi. It provides a wide range of inpatient and outpatient care and a university center for nursing education. 

 

In 2019, Mater decided to begin their journey to institutionalize quality in their facilities. The hospital’s leadership was faced with a decision that would help them remain relevant in the market: pursuing and certifying quality. 

SafeCare offers the methodology, technology and approach to quality improvement. Dr Daniel Kiura, Quality Manager at Mater, explains that quality improvement was made possible thanks to three elements. First, committed leadership who are willing to allocate budget to quality. Second, the assigning of staff dedicated to quality improvement. Third, the adoption of the SafeCare solution in all of the facilities. SafeCare helped to identify where to start with quality improvement and how to gradually track and implement improvements.

At Mater Hospital, small improvements made a world of difference. For example, early warning signs on monitoring for high risks helped reduce cardiac emergencies. The improvement of medication storage and access to storage led to fewer medication errors, reducing them by almost 80%. Thanks to SafeCare, Mater improved patient flow at triage. Patients are now attended to by a medical professional and pay for the services at last. Moreover, Mater introduced patient suggestions and surveys. These help the hospital to continuously put patients at the center of care. Currently, 77% of patients score the services as good and excellent. 

 

Better quality also allowed Mater to strengthen their business. International organizations headquartered in Nairobi, such as the United Nations, choose Mater for their employees because of their certifications and proven quality.  More patients allow Mater to strengthen their businesses and continuously improve quality. The newly opened oncology ward is testimony to the continuous investments in improvement of the facility.

What is next? Continuous quality improvement. Quality is a journey rather than a destination at Mater Hospital.