Improving diagnosis and standardising care
The main objective of the seventh NNHF project in Mexico is to increase the knowledge of the multidisciplinary team and standardise care delivery to people with haemophilia in the state of Jalisco in the western part of the country.
Moreover, there were not enough multidisciplinary teams to provide integrated care and the roles of healthcare professionals were often not defined or properly coordinated due to lack of training.
Standardising care
One of the first steps taken by the project team was to raise the overall standard of care.
As part of the Hospital General de Occidente’s quality protocols, the project team conducted an analysis of current processes in the haemophilia clinic.
Furthermore, they developed manuals for the multidisciplinary team in order to standardise haemophilia care delivery.
“Our priority was to guarantee quality and humanised care to people with haemophilia and their families. In order to have the best standards of care and make appropriate use of resources, it is vitally important that each member of the multidisciplinary team is trained, has a defined role within the team and follows protocols and processes of standardised care,” states Dr Padilla.
Improving knowledge
During 2019, several specialists from the hospital’s multidisciplinary haemophilia care team were trained both nationally and internationally. A nurse, a dentist, a social worker and a psychologist received training in Villahermosa in Mexico, and a physiotherapist and an orthopaedic surgeon in Brazil.
The session in Brazil also involved healthcare professionals from the ISSEMyM hospital in Toluca who had been part of the fifth NNHF project in Mexico. This enabled the participants to connect with one another and share expertise and learnings.
“Receiving training in national and international centres not only provides the opportunity to learn about the topic, but also allows you to acquire strategies to implement what you have learned, identify best practices and strengthen the ties between teams of excellence with whom you exchange knowledge, to finally achieve the mission of providing the best care,” shares Dr Padilla.
Following the training in Villahermosa and Brazil, a three-day programme was organised within the state of Jalisco itself. Additionally, a session focused on haemophilia diagnosis and care was held in the city of Zapopan for 42 healthcare professionals from across the region.
Empowered to lead a better life
The project team knew that it was also important to educate people with haemophilia and family members to better manage the condition and know what to do in case of a bleed. In November 2019, one of the first empowerment workshops called “Reach your goals through a healthy life” was held for people with haemophilia and family members from the State of Jalisco. This training included educational elements on dental care, nutrition, psychology, genetics and the first measures to take in case of bleeding. Additional empowerment sessions will be organised in 2020 to ensure more people with haemophilia can acquire the skills to lead to a better life.
