The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. (FP)

Health Minister John Boyce has countered critics who assert that nothing positive nor progressive was happening at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

According to the Minister, the evidence spoke for itself and he commended the QEH for the successive attempts it has made to improve its operational efficiencies, especially in light of ongoing fiscal challenges.

Speaking at the annual review meeting of the hospital at Hilton Barbados Resort today, Mr. Boyce told the hospital staff: “The present worldwide economic climate dictates that we must seek innovative ways to tighten our belts and your efforts at cost containment have not gone unnoticed.”

These efforts include the revision of the hospital’s deposit policy in order to ensure that delinquency and defaults on accounts were minimised, and to better reflect the costs incurred by customers for service delivery.

He explained that the potential expansion of the supply chain for medical supplies, specialist medical equipment and consumables would greatly assist in negotiating a more competitive rate for goods and services…” while affording us some bargaining power as it relates to the contractual terms and conditions with service providers”.

The Health Minister lauded the Achieving Improved Measurement (AIM) initiative at the hospital which focuses on effecting progress in quality and safety through accreditation.

So far the QEH Laboratory has been certified by the Accreditation Council of Jamaica and the hospital’s Food Services Department has received its HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certification.

The Baby Friendly Initiative, based on the UNESCO/WHO recommendation which promotes exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of life, has also been certified.

Other initiatives being pursued are digital connectivity as a platform for doing business and modernising service delivery at the hospital; and institution-wide accreditation based on the pursuit of excellence, improved deliveries and the offer of safe, high-quality service with respect to patient care.

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