Using the accreditation journey to achieve global impact: UHN's experience at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• International Health
• Oncology

Background:

• Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM) - University Health Network (UHN) established a 5-year partnership with Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) in 2011.
• The collaboration aimed to enhance cancer care services and accelerate KCCC's development in subspecialty cancer care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify opportunities for improving cancer care infrastructure and processes at KCCC.
• To leverage Kuwait's national accreditation mandate to drive clinical improvement and quality initiatives at KCCC.

Main Methods:

• UHN experts identified areas for infrastructure and operational enhancement at KCCC.
• A quality program was initiated, utilizing Accreditation Canada International's framework.
• Focus was placed on aligning administration with clinical management and improving foundational hospital processes.

Main Results:

• Improved staff engagement and a stronger patient safety culture were observed at KCCC.
• Enhanced awareness and alignment between administration and clinical management.
• Successful implementation of quality improvement initiatives within the Kuwaiti healthcare context.

Conclusions:

• The partnership successfully drove clinical improvement and enhanced cancer care at KCCC.
• Lessons learned from this collaboration offer insights for international healthcare providers implementing accreditation frameworks.
• The study highlights the importance of robust infrastructure and quality programs in advancing cancer care globally.