Outreach clinics set to demystify specialty care
Hospitals are dismantling the concept of clinics as centres for primary care by fitting in specialty services that are usually provided in major branches.
Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH, N)’s latest outreach clinic in Karen promises to bring cardiology, nephrology, paediatrics, dermatology, obstetrics and gynaecology, family medicine and ENT, among others closer to their patients homes.
The Clinic will run a one-stop Cardiac Care Centre with critical tests such as Exercise Stress Test, Echo and ECG among others. It will also have an executive wellness program supported by key diagnostic services including X-ray, Ultrasound, Mammography, and a well-equipped laboratory.
Over the last three years AKUH has set up 49 medical centres in Kenya and three in Uganda, treating almost 700,000 patients annually bringing quality special care close to patients.
The Hospital CEO, Rashid Khalani says their outreach clinics shifted from just offering primary care deploying doctors from the main hospitals hence optimally utilising their doctors and lowering the costs at the clinics.
“Three years ago, we began implementing a new strategy of running specialist clinics at our outreach centres which previously only offered primary care. The clinics are run by our specialists from the main hospital, ensuring that the same quality of care offered at the main hospital is available in the neighbourhoods,” he said.
Read also: Aga Khan University Hospital retains global accreditation for quality services
The Karen Clinic comes hot on the heels of the opening of the Roysambu Specialty Care Centre, which in addition to specialised clinics also provides day surgeries, dialysis, chemotherapy, and endoscopy.
As residents get accustomed to affordable quality healthcare at their doorsteps the idea of clinic hospitals is catching up offering hospitals small affordable space to offer quality care.
Residents will no longer be inclined to crowd in the main hospitals when they can easily access similar services at the clinics.
“Increasing access to quality care is part of our values and guided by that we intend to open many more centres in years to come,” added Mr Khalani.
Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja who was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony said that his government will work with private healthcare institutions to increase access to quality healthcare services.
“As the County Government, we continue to give you and other players in this sector every support that you need. My Administration took office determined to dignify the lives of the people of Nairobi. Few things are more important for a life of dignity than health. That is why we are working closely with the 7,500 community health workers to meet the people of Nairobi where they are. Nairobi County is the first county to pay its community workers every month,” said Governor Sakaja in a speech read on his behalf by Nairobi County Secretary Patrick Analo.
The teaching hospital of the Aga Khan University, it is a centre for advanced training programmes in oncology, neurology, cardiology, infectious diseases, neonatology, and nuclear medicine. As an institution of knowledge, the hospital supports the university’s academic programmes.
