July 13, 2023
How mDoc’s Quality Network is Building Capacity of Healthcare Systems in Africa
Africa faces a severe healthcare workforce shortage, with a healthcare worker density of 1.55 per 1000 people, significantly lower than the WHO-recommended 4.45 per 1000. In 2022, the WHO identified 55 countries, including Nigeria, with critical healthcare staffing shortages exacerbated by COVID-19.
Digital health capacity-building is a practical approach to improving coordination, knowledge sharing, and continuity of care. At mDoc Healthcare, we leverage digital health solutions to support people with or at risk for chronic diseases through our health coach-led digital platform CompleteHealth™, geo-coded healthcare facility referral system NaviHealth.ai™, in-person community outreaches (NudgeHubs™), and our virtual capacity-building arm, mDoc Quality Network (MQN™).
The Three Key Areas of MQN™
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Strategic Guidance
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We provide strategic guidance to ministries of health and leading organizations on quality improvement in healthcare. For instance, we collaborated with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and WHO to analyze the quality of healthcare in Nigeria, informing the development of a National Quality Policy and Strategy for Health.
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In-Person Training
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Leveraging digital technology, we offer evidence-based learning opportunities for healthcare professionals, mid-level, and senior managers. MQN™ supports organizations in becoming learning hubs, providing multi-sectoral capacity-building aligned with the SDGs. Our global network of improvement coaches and consultants offers over 30 years of QA and QI experience in the healthcare industry
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Tele-Education
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Partnering with the University of New Mexico (UNM), we use the ECHO® model, a low-cost, case-based learning approach backed by 400 peer-reviewed articles, to build capacity for African healthcare providers. This boosts their self-efficacy and promotes health literacy through technology-enhanced collaborative learning and online medical education.
Capacity Building During COVID-19 and Project TeCLA
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we increased our ECHO® sessions to provide weekly capacity-building training for healthcare workers and stakeholders. Our efforts linked COVID-19 risks to vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses, leading to collaborations with organizations like Making More Health.
Building on MQN™'s success with the ECHO® model, we launched the Tele-education for Clinicians and Leaders in Africa (Project TeCLA) in 2021. This initiative, funded by Making More Health and in collaboration with Kenyan social enterprises and international organizations, aims to create a capacity-building ecosystem across Africa, focusing on digital health education and training.
ECHO® SuperHub Status
Recognized by UNM as the 1st ECHO® SuperHub in Africa, mDoc provides specialized training, mentorship, and coaching to organizations leveraging the ECHO® model for healthcare education. This status allows us to build and support hubs in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and beyond, facilitating multiple learning sessions in NCDs and other health areas.
Our monitoring and evaluation approach is based on the Kirkpatrick model, analyzing the effectiveness of learning and improvements in patient outcomes. This comprehensive evaluation ensures that our digital health capacity-building efforts lead to tangible benefits for healthcare systems and patient care.
