SYNLAB Nigeria calls for adherence to standards in patient care

Enhanced accessibility and coordination of patient records through electronic systems would bring efficiency to Nigeria’s health sector, Kenneth Okolie, chief executive officer of SYNLAB Nigeria has said.

Okolie who remarked on the SYNLAB Nigeria webinar on revolutionizing patient care said the effective use of electronic health records would ensure centralized patient information, healthcare coordination, and the tracking of patient outcomes.

The CEO said that adopting electronic health records requires adhering to standards, use of common data sets, consent management, training and education, testing and certification, as well as participating in health information exchange, to facilitate real-time informed decision-making in patient care.

He therefore called for an effective regulatory framework to ensure adherence to these requirements across healthcare institutions.

Also speaking at the webinar, Tinuola Akinbolagbe, managing director/CEO of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), said that healthcare workers should collaborate in ensuring quality patient care decision-making.

She said such interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary to achieve the desired health outcome for the patient.

Akinbolagbe added that patient education and effective collaboration with the patient’s family are necessary to ensure that the health institution and the family do not work at cross-purposes in the patient care process.

On his part, Olatokunbo Alli, the chief executive officer of Leadway Health, called for trust and transparency in shaping the patient’s journey. He noted that trust and transparency are the foundation of effective customer service and urged health institutions to maintain openness in their dealings with patients to build trust and transparency.

Alli said institutions should be deliberate about their communication with patients, adding that this sets the tone for the patient’s journey.

He emphasized the need for clear, unambiguous, and empathetic communication, stressing that listening to and validating the patient’s concerns, would enhance the quality of their experience as customers.