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The National Health Insurance Authority, Health Maintenance Organisations, Lagos State Health Management Agency, and others have demanded the institutionalisation of total quality health management in every hospital across the country.

The different stakeholders who held an interactive session at the NHIA office, Yaba, recently, in a presentation titled, “Institutionalising total quality management in healthcare facilities as a means of improving healthcare delivery,“ by  Dr Nneka Chinemeze of HCI healthcare,  were informed that a quality healthcare system was accessible, appropriate, available, affordable, effective, efficient, integrated, safe, and patient-related.

She said, “Total Quality Management is defined as a management philosophy concerned with people and work processes that focuses on customer satisfaction and improves organisational performance.

“It encompasses both Content Quality and Delivery Quality. It decreases the burden of errors, ensures optimal utilisation of infrastructure and medical personnel, and manages quality control. ”

She also explained that TQM was important as a strategy to improve organisational performance, which had grown in the era of globalisation.

NHIS State Coordinator,  Catherine Tanzamado, in her welcome address encouraged the participants to discuss issues that would reveal challenges around NHIS.

Also speaking, Dr Elizabeth Onoge, said hospitals should ensure they provided quality healthcare delivery without waiting for health enforcement agents.

 “They are expected to form a group of their staff who will drive the change from department to department.

“How the hospital will carry out their in-house quality assurance is important.

“We also provided answers on issues they have had on their work, conflicts issues and others.

General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency, who was represented by Mr Tosin Awosika made a presentation, titled, ‘Leveraging the NHIA act in building sustainable healthcare delivery system: The Lagos State approach.’

He said, “In order to meet the yearnings of the residents of  Lagos State for access to quality healthcare services at affordable rates, the government, through Lagos State  House of Assembly enacted the Lagos State Health Scheme Law No. 4 of 2015.”