A free mobile application has been introduced to help healthcare workers deal with the rising numbers of COVID-19 positive cases amongst them. The App dubbed SafeCare4Covid is designed to enable healthcare staff to conduct a self-assessment using their own mobile devices any time of the day. This process will enable them rate their own performance regarding how efficiently they have complied with the COVID-19 safety protocols in the health facility.
This provides a real time quick and effective way of determining existing gaps in the health facilities’ preparedness towards Covid-19 management. “Providers (facility leaders and Managers) can evaluate the availability of equipment, supplies and staff, as well as assess their processes and knowledge to handle COVID-19 while staying safe” the Country Manager for SafeCare – PharmAccess, Bonifacia Benefo Agyei said in an interview.
Madam Benefo Agyei, described the App service as a remarkable digital intervention in the global efforts at improving safety of the frontline health workers who are critical in the fight against the pandemic. According to her, though Covid-19 continues to be elusive and is posing as fierce opposition our still developing healthcare system, availability of reliable, consistent and updated information on and for the management of the diseases to healthcare providers is crucial to saving the lives of millions of Ghanaians.
“This is a game changer in the stream of innovative interventions tailored to improve the quality and safety of Covid-19 related healthcare services among providers in Ghana and globally.” She said. Banking on 20 years of experience in the healthcare quality field, specifically in resource-restricted areas, and a wide experience with digital innovations, SafeCare has developed the ‘SafeCare4Covid app’ using data, documentation and guidelines developed by the WHO, to prepare and support healthcare providers for COVID-19 worldwide.
About 779 health workers in Ghana have contracted COVID-19. Nine of them have, however, succumbed to the disease, while a large number are in isolation awaiting their test results after being exposed to the virus in the line of duty. This was reveled in a joint press statement by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Health Services Workers’ Union of TUC Ghana (HSWU) and Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA)
The SafeCare Country Manager said, the SafeCare4Covid App is programmed such that, identified of gaps in important areas such supplies like PPE’s and oxygen or processes like triage, cleaning and isolation will feed in to a customized quality improvement plan which the facility may use to improve its system.
She is excited that the app is free and designed for healthcare facilities, big or small, public or private. This is because SafeCare believes that, no matter where in the world they are, healthcare facilities are currently facing similar challenges – preparing and maintaining an environment that reduces risk of infection – whilst continuing to provide health services for their community.
According to Madam Benefo Ayei, the app also contains a list of 10 COVID-19 facts ‘did you know’ questions to combat misinformation. In addition, it has links to webinars and access to downloadable resources including protocols and posters on Covid-19 prevention and management.
BFT
