Reset leadership structure of Ghana’s hospitals; managing health is not a part-time job -Dr. Asilevi

Dr. Collins Eli Asilevi, Medical Law Expert, advised that there should be a reset of the leadership structure of Ghana’s hospitals. He also added saying, “Managing health is not a part-time job”.

Dr. Asilevi stated emphatically “In Ghana’s public health facilities, leadership is treated as a part-time obligation. Clinical work and hospital administration are full-time responsibilities that require focus, expertise, and accountability; however, our laws, especially the Ghana Health Service and Teaching Hospitals
Act (Act 525), make all other administrative leaders subservient to medical heads, even in purely managerial areas.”

Capturing the flaws in the managerial system, he stated. “This system is flawed from the outset because medical doctors
appointed as medical superintendents, directors, and CEOs are expected to manage hospitals while maintaining full clinical responsibilities. With its associated detrimental health effects on many of our citizens, this medicalization of hospital leadership and, consequently, healthcare practice in Ghana has turned into a structural flaw that puts lives at risk.”

“How is it possible for one individual to handle patient care while also making decisions about finance, human resources, transportation, laboratory
operations and diagnostics, pharmacy practice, funeral services, and procurement? It’s risky in addition to being unrealistic.”

Describing the current leadership status of Ghana’s health system, he said it is a failure and has to be reestablished. “Our system is designed to fail. Health leadership needs to be reestablished. Act 525 has to be amended to include full-time, qualified healthcare managers. A
medical professional who wants to be a leader should pursue health management training and dedicate themselves entirely to the position rather than balancing two important duties.”

He also called for assigning leadership roles and allowing managers to take the lead in an institutional capacity.
“Give clinical leadership to the doctors. Allow managers to take the lead in an institutional capacity. Make technical heads answerable to professional management and replace the antiquated title of “medical superintendent” with CEO or Managing Director.”

On the tangent of not giving full attention to patients, he said “Leaders are in meetings, writing cheques while patients wait in long queues, and this results in the loss of life every day. This cannot go on. Life is one! We have to take action to protect it!”

“Despite not being a doctor, the Bank Hospital’s CEO is performing remarkably well. For what reason? Because healthcare encompasses a variety of abilities that are not specific to anyone
profession, including economics, customer service, logistics, and strategic oversight.”

Dr. Asilevi delved into the illegal acts of the hospital and its leadership or management. He said after the government constructs, furnishes, pays salaries of staff, and finances hospitals, the leadership there (facility managers) charge patients and are expected to use those resources in running the day-to-day affairs of the hospital.

“The government constructs, furnishes, pays salaries of staff and finances hospitals, while facility managers charge patients and are expected to use those resources in running the day-to-day affairs of the hospital. How the State becomes responsible for equipment maintenance at the hospital is a paradox that must be resolved without further delay!”

For the way forward, Dr. Collins Asilevi called for a depoliticized healthcare system that will allow the government to take bold and radical steps to reset the system.

“Let’s depoliticize healthcare and allow the government to take bold and radical steps to reset the system.”
“This change won’t be easy; beneficiaries of the current model may resist through
strikes and threats, but it is the only way to stop preventable deaths. This system is permeated with conflicts of interest, where some medical leaders receive commissions from clinical practice and receive allowances from daily management meetings, meetings that they control and compensate themselves for.”

“As for rent-seeking and procurement benefits, the less said about it, the better!”

“One branch cannot straighten a tree.
Management of hospitals must be professional and not a subservient practice. And the citizens of Ghana are the better for it!”

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh