The Lagos State Health Service Commission on Saturday charged healthcare providers to uplift medical practices for increased patients’ patronage across all public health facilities in the state.

Dr Benjamin Eniayewun, Permanent Secretary of the Commission, gave this charge as he led a nine-man delegate on an assessment tour of public health facilities in line the Hospitals’ Transformation Support Initiative. Eniayewun said the initiative was proffered by health providers as an aid to qualitative delivery that was measurable with international best medical practices. “The healthcare business is growing exponentially in a more competitive sphere.

“With the advent of the Lagos State Health Scheme and decline in out-of-pocket payments, it has become more necessary to strategically manage stakeholders’ needs being highlighted by various hospitals towards qualitative development.

“These highlighted developmental plans are identified by the various hospitals under a targeted time span with a view for optimal patients’ satisfaction,” he said. He said that under Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu ‘s THEMES Agenda, the Commission had identified various yardsticks for excellent health service at all windows of public health using the Transformation Support Initiative.

THEMES is the acronym for the six strategic development agenda of Gov. Sanwo-Olu namely: Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education, and Technology. Eniayewun admonished the medical directors of the state health facilities on astute entrepreneurial skills at ensuring service-driven improvement and Internal Generated Revenue of value on added services being rendered to patients.

The permanent secretary said:” There should be a paradigm shift on maximising potentials that are sometimes hyped by the terrain which your hospital is being situated.

“Being a chief executive officer requires foresight and innovation for qualitative service delivery with a view for patients’ satisfaction using the available infrastructure, which basically induces future patronage or not.

“Invariably, it implies you need to add value for services rendered to patients to make them want to patronise your facility as the best choice they are making, certainly, not because they do not have a choice. “This will indicate impactful delivery, if well adopted,” the permanent secretary said.

At the Ifako-Ijaye General Hospital, he applauded the initiative adopted for patients ‘ privacy at the Physiotherapy Department, while enjoining the management to improve the aesthetic view of the hospital.

Also, Eniayewun commended the obvious medical improvement for the qualitative standard exhibited at the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Ojota, towards optimal patients satisfaction.

The nine-man delegation included: Dr Olumuyiwa Otepola, a former Medical Director of Ketu-Ejirin Hospital; Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr Kajopelaiye Olarenwaju; Director, Nursing Services, Mrs Laide Animashaun; and Director, Pharmaceutical Services, Segun Onakoya. Other delegates are Deputy Director, Medical Services, Dr Shola Pitan; Head, Public Affairs Unit, Mrs Abimbola Salehu – Badejo; Mr Emiabata Lawal of the Finance and Accounts Directorate; and Mr Sadiq Ismaila of the Human Resources Directorate.