The National Quality Forum Review: Personal Connections and Thoughts

The National Quality Forum was a two-day conference that I attended with the Mental Health Authority. The theme was “Ghana’s Healthcare Quality Strategy—Efforts towards a Sustainable System for UHC, 2030.” The conference was about enhancing the quality of healthcare services in Ghana and health equity for all people. 

Many of the speakers at the conference echoed similar themes, primarily about “fostering a culture of continuous improvement.” They emphasized the importance of respecting all patients, promoting health care, and preventing diseases. A key point that caught my attention was the idea of involving patients in decisions about their own health. The need for individuals to advocate for themselves and communicate their needs to doctors stood out to me because it is something that the Native American community also struggles with because of years of medical mistreatment. 

I asked Nana how patients could advocate for themselves if they lack education about their health conditions or what they need to feel better. We had a brief conversation about the significant role education plays in ensuring quality care in the health field. While it’s crucial for patients to be the main stakeholders in their healthcare, they need specific knowledge to understand and articulate their needs. 

I believe social media can play a huge role in this educational process. For instance, the Mental Health Authority posts daily about mindfulness and wellness. Breaking down these posts to explain terms like anxiety, depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation could help consumers understand their feelings and take proactive steps. I created a social media post about recognizing burnout and anxiety (examples below) for the Mental Health Authority’s page. Although this is a small step, it illustrates how organizations can incorporate education into their materials, benefiting all health organizations in teaching individuals how to advocate for themselves. 

Communication is the biggest barrier for people, so reducing these barriers through education is essential in empowering individuals to advocate for themselves.

Dr. Gilbert Buckle, a presenter at the conference, spoke about leadership and governance in healthcare quality, posing critical questions for individuals to consider: How safe is what you are doing? How efficient is what you are doing?

He emphasized the importance of balancing efficiency and quality. Often, due to the shortage of healthcare providers in Ghana and the high demand for medical attention, the quality of care falls short. This conference aimed to address how to improve quality while maintaining efficiency.

This discussion made me reflect on how burnout affects healthcare professionals and how these essential workers are treated and treat themselves. We see similar issues in the United States, including within the University of Oregon Health Services. Given the high student-to-professional ratio, how are these professionals taking care of themselves and preventing burnout?

Preventing burnout is particularly challenging in communities like Accra due to the significant need for medical services and limited resources. How can we address these issues to support healthcare professionals and ensure they can provide quality care without compromising their well-being? As someone who works in mental health and higher education, I still struggle to navigate the importance of self-care while actively wanting to take care of others—I can only imagine it is the same for these individuals who are in similar fields as I am.

When thinking about the history of neglect in health fields for Indigenous people, the people who are not experiencing burnout either have very good self-discipline or are not doing their jobs efficiently. We can only hope that it is the first option, but sadly, I struggle to believe that that is the truth for all situations. 

Throughout this conference, I noticed many connections between Ghanaian healthcare and the importance of religion. With 71.2% of Ghanaians being Christian and 17.6% being Muslims, religion plays a significant role in the lives of people in Accra. This influence can have both positive and negative impacts on healthcare services. ( Stay tuned for a blog post specifically about this! )

When it comes to mental health, many people prefer faith-based practices over traditional therapy. In the Native American community, parallels can be drawn regarding the importance of community and culture and the stigmatization of mental health. However, in Ghana, some faith-based practices involve harmful methods, such as chaining and beating individuals with mental health issues in an attempt to “heal” them.

Over the past year, working with Native American Indigenous communities has taught me about the stigma surrounding mental health, the importance of connection, and the need for education on mental health concerns. These lessons are equally relevant in Ghana, where similar issues and needs exist. After the conference, I briefly spoke to a woman at the Mental Health Authority about this, and I came to the conclusion that it is important for mental health professionals to be able to incorporate faith-based practices to gain consumer trust while also being able to give them sufficient access to care and medicine as needed. One of the main barriers is trying to take away the ideation of neglecting people with mental health concerns, and thankfully, that is what the Mental Health Authority strives to do. 

Attending the National Quality Forum was an eye-opening experience that highlighted the challenges and opportunities within Ghanaian healthcare that I was able to connect directly to mental health. The discussions emphasized the importance of patient advocacy, the role of education in healthcare, and the delicate balance between efficiency and quality. I left the conference with a deeper understanding of the systemic issues faced by healthcare professionals and patients alike. More importantly, I felt inspired by the commitment of individuals like Nana and organizations like the Mental Health Authority to drive meaningful change. Moving forward, I am hopeful that by integrating education, leveraging social media, and respecting cultural and religious contexts, they will be able to create a more inclusive and effective healthcare system that empowers individuals to advocate for their mental health needs.