On June 7th, the Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience (CPIPE) Study concluded a transformative four-day training program at the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC), a key component of the CPIPE study interventions.
The training brought together 2 groups of maternal and neonatal health service providers from selected intervention facilities in the Upper East Region. Each group participated in a two-day session aimed at enhancing their skills and knowledge in essential areas of maternal and neonatal patient care, as well as improving provider wellbeing.
In a welcome statement, the director of NHRC Dr. Patrick Ansah encouraged the providers to participate to sharpen their skills to deliver quality care and the interventions of the study to enhance patient experience. “This is one of the trainings that will sharpen your skills, do not take it to be a training that you are just attending. We are here to support you” he advised.
A key focus of the CPIPE training was to address the pervasive issue of provider stress and burnout which trickles down to patients. Participants delved into the causes and impacts of stress on their wellbeing and patient care. Through interactive workshops and practical sessions, providers learned coping mechanisms and to manage stress and prevent burnout. These measures are aimed at fostering a supportive work environment which will ultimately enhance the quality of care provided to patients.
The training also highlighted the critical issue of unconscious bias and how it influences patient care. Providers were trained on the various forms of unconscious bias that can affect provider and patient interactions. Through interactive discussions and exercises, participants learned strategies to mitigate these unconscious biases.
Also central to the training were Promoting Person-Centered Maternity Care and Respectful Maternity Care. These sessions during the training underscored the significance of providing care that respects the dignity, preferences and needs of mothers and their families. Providers learned how to create supportive and empowering environment for expectant mothers.
By these practices, healthcare providers can enhance the patient experience, ensuring that maternal care is compassionate, respectful and tailored to individual needs.
A practical component of the training involved simulated cases to help providers deal with difficult patients and stressful situations, particularly during obstetric and neonatal emergencies. These simulations provided a safe and controlled environment for participants to practice their skills, focusing on maintaining composure, avoiding bias, and delivering Person-Centered Care (PCC) under pressure. The hands-on experience gained through these simulations is essential in preparing providers to handle real-life emergencies effectively and compassionately.
The CPIPE study is a 5-year research project being implemented by a team of researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the University of California San Francisco and the Navrongo Health Research Centre in Ghana.
The Principal Investigator of the study, Professor Patience Afulani during the training stated that the project is a cumulation of years of work trying to understand the experiences of both providers and patients experience and what can be done to enhance those experiences. “So, this is not just a project that we sat somewhere and wrote ideas that we want to implement” she stated.
The CPIPE Study’s intervention training program represents a significant step forward in improving maternal and neonatal healthcare services. By addressing provider stress and burnout, unconscious bias, and promoting person-centered and respectful maternity care, the training equipped healthcare providers with the essential skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional care.