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Uganda National Association of Private
Hospitals
(UNAPH)
Strategic Plan
Foreword
We are pleased to present UNAPH’s
2012-2016 Strategic Plan. The plan incorporates a continuous five-year set of
strategic objectives that constitute the majority of UNAPH’s overall program
activities and efforts.
Key strategic
areas of focus are:
The Private health care environment is
heterogeneous and dynamic. That fact requires UNAPH leadership on these
important strategies in order to accomplish our mission of advocating for an
environment that allows our members to provide high quality care to Ugandan
communities.
Strategic planning involves long- and
short-term goals and objectives. National public policy decisions and ongoing
programs and events influence health care’s dynamic environment. This document
outlines UNAPH’s priorities for a five-year period, with the understanding that
it will be updated regularly.
Introduction
Uganda National Association of Private
Hospitals (UNAPH)
is a membership national organization representing PrivateHospitals and
Private Clinics in Uganda. UNAPH was founded and registered in 2006.
The main aim of UNAPH is to
represent, promote and protect the interests of private hospitals and private
clinics, their owners and operators, and to interact with members, to ensure
private hospital sector continues to be dynamic in meeting the changing needs
of Ugandans and protect the interests and rights of Private health consumers.
UNAPH plans to initiate, foster and maintain a consultative, co-operative and
communicative approach to dealing with Government, health organizations, media,
community groups and the public. UNAPH also plans to be a self-regulatory
trade association striving to improve the Private Hospital Sector through collaboration
with the Government.
We encourage commitment to quality
services, ethical conduct and better healthcare standards in the Private
Hospital Sector.
The majority of diseases in Uganda are
initially treated in private hospitals and private Clinics. For most diseases
big hospitals are limited and sparsely distributed. Prevention and treatment is
therefore cannot be substantially scaled up without considering how best to
make use of private hospitals and Clinics.
Private Clinics are popular because they are often cheap, as partial doses are sold; they are accessible; there is improved interaction between consumers and providers; they harmonize the Demand and Supply forces in the Private Sector. Therefore, consumers are usually unable to assess the technical quality of services, with the result that they place more weight on aspects of perceived quality, such as the interpersonal skills of providers, and the comfort of the environment in which treatment occurs both of which may be unrelated to technical competences. Relatively few approaches to supporting advocacy for consumers in their use of the private health services have been used to improve consumer information and awareness and creation of an institution is inevitable to give consumers enough authority to challenge care of poor quality services. Consumers often lack institutional structure to seek redress when they have victims of medical malpractices or negligence in the Private Hospital Sector. The dominance of Private Health Provision in Uganda’s Health System in Uganda makes it vital to consider implementing appropriate strategies.
Public Hospitals
Non-Profit Private For-Profit
Private
Health Sector Health Sector
Factors that shape the Association’s
strategic plan include:
·
UNAPH’s
highest priority as identified by members is representing private-for-profit
(PFP) private Hospitals and private clinics in terms of government legislation,
regulation, monitoring, reporting and other relevant issues.
·
UNAPH
is to be viewed as a primary source of reliable information about the private
health sector.
·
Quality
and Patient safety to be major priorities for private hospitals, private
clinics and the public.
·
Uganda’s
demographics point to a growing population and shortages of skilled health care
workers and dual deployment of health workers in both Government and
PrivateHospitals and clinics.
·
The
public’s concern about the cost of health care has increased, while its
understanding of cost drivers and the health care system remains unclear and is
inconsequential to its concern about the costs.
·
The
public believes health care providers should focus more on promoting individual
and community health rather than on their organization’s bottom line financial
performance.
·
UNAPH
should support public health initiatives that improve the health of Ugandan
communities.
·
UNAPH
members desire proactive Association initiatives that will favorably improve
private Health Service Delivery.
Overview of the
Private Health Sector
Private
Health Stakeholders
Private
Hospitals
Private
Not-for-Profit Hospitals (PNFP’s)
Private
For-Profit Hospital (PFP’s)
Private
Health Providers
Private
for- Profit Clinics/Medical Centers
Private
Medical Laboratories
Private
Health Insurances
Private
Medical Bureaus and Stores
Drug
Stores / Pharmacies
Dispensing
Chemists
Private
Specialty Medical Centers/Clinics
Traditional
Health Providers
Private
Health Consumers
School
Sick-bays & Clinics
Industrial
/ Corporate Health Services & Clinics
etc.
Principal
Players
UNAPH’s Mission
and Vision
Mission
The Uganda
National Association of Private Hospitals’ (UNAPH) mission is to Represent,
Promote and Protect privatehospitals and private clinics in Uganda.
Vision
The Association’s vision is based on the
following main objectives:
Main Objectives
of UNAPH:
-
To
provide a unified collective voice for private hospitals and private
clinics.
-
To
represent, promote and protect the interests of private hospitals and clinics,
their owners and operators, and to interact with members to ensure private
hospital care continues to be dynamic in meeting the needs of the Ugandans.
-
To
champion the cause of private hospitals in delivering the very best in private
hospital care to patients.
-
To
foster and maintain a cooperative and communicative approach to dealing with
Government , ministries, media , health organizations, community groups and the
public.
-
To
protect the rights of private health consumers in Uganda.
-
To
provide a forum for discussion of issues and sharing best practices and ideas
relevant to private hospitals and private clinics.
-
To
coordinate activities and promote, develop and maintain a uniformly high
standard of patient care, skills, services and professionalism in private
hospitals and private clinics.
-
Encourage
and facilitate united positions among hospitals and clinics, and allow other
relevant bodies to achieve consensus in the policies and issues advanced.
-
To
exchange experiences and information with other hospitals in Uganda and
Overseas on the professional and cost effective management of hospitals,
training of hospital staff, medical matters, and to organize joint seminars,
conferences and workshops, courses, activities, programs and services.
-
To
adopt all measures necessary to emphasize the rightful place of private
hospitals and clinics in Uganda's health care system.
-
To
provide education and training on issues relating to regulatory compliance,
management, clinical improvement, and other matters that enable members to
achieve their missions.
-
To
take a leadership role in fostering a climate of collaboration, respect, and
interdependency between the various providers of private health care.
-
To
offer value added services that meet membership needs through the Association
and its subsidiaries.
-
To
participate in the global national initiatives to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria,
Tuberculosis, Child illnesses and other diseases.
Current Planned Programs
-
Design
and formulate Management and Operation Guidelines for private hospitals and
private clinics.
-
Carry
out a National census of private hospitals and private clinics.
-
Develop
a directory of private hospitals and clinics in Uganda.
-
Organize
national consultation workshops with private hospital stakeholders.
-
Mobilize
capacity building of the organization.
-
Develop
and create a National ICT-Based Telemedicine /eHealth Network for private
hospitals and private clinics.
-
Develop
a website for the organization.
-
Develop
a ResourceCenter for private hospitals and clinics.
-
Innovate
programs to fight and control HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Child illnesses
and other diseases.
-
Establish
a Centralized Medical Store (CMS) to serve private hospitals and private
clinics.
-
Mobilize
increased loanable resources and strategies for private hospitals and clinics.
-
Carry
out orientation study visits to other countries’ hospital associations.
-
Increase
the awareness and sensitization of UNAPH activities and services.
-
Establish
a HealthcareManagementTrainingCenter.
-
Carry
out a countrywide diagnostic survey of the private hospital sector in Uganda.
-
Establish
a Joint Ambulatory Service (JAS) to serve all members of UNAPH by giving
emergency medical services and specialized sophisticated treatments to their respective
clients.
-
Develop
a database for private hospital sector.
This year 2009, UNAPH adopted key
principles for health care and UNAPH advocacy initiatives. Those principles
suggest that UNAPH should work to:
1. Encourage increased
membership base.
2. Improve coverage
and access.
3. Endeavour to
participate in national programs to fight major diseases, HIV/AIDS, Malaria,
Child illnesses, Tuberculosis and other diseases.
4. Promote
community accountability.
5.
Adhere
to its original principles and core values below;
a)
Our
membership is voluntary.
b)
Not
to interfere or duplicate services of other faith-based medical bureaus but
concentrate on our national programs and objectives.
c)
Provide
Consumer Protection Services to private health consumers in Uganda.
d)
To
be a trade association representing the private hospital sector in the Ugandan
economy and liaise with other government agencies.
e)
Strive
to provide a self-regulatory environment for secular private health providers
including private for-profit hospitals and clinics.
f)
Acknowledge
that for-profit private hospital regulation has been uncoordinated resulting
from a fragmented web of different professional associations which needs a
holistic approach so as to fully meet the needs of the community.
g)
Provide
a representative body that gives health consumers authority to challenge care
of poor quality, malpractice and negligence. Protect the rights and interests
of health consumers and endeavor that the voice of the health consumer is
heard.
h)
Provide
accreditation and regulatory guidelines for members to meet minimum standards
and requirements in terms of staff, equipment and structure.
i)
Consider
and study the operation of other countries’ national hospital trade
associations as best practices or evidence-based strategies managing private
health e.g, Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA), Association of Private
Hospitals of Tanzania, Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia, Australian
Private Hospitals Association, and American Hospital Association.
j)
To
look at our Association as an organization that brings together private
hospitals and private clinics as ‘institutions’ representing them as complete
single units unlike other allied health professional associations which brings
together individual health professionals.
k)
To
be the organization that cuts across the entire private health sector i.e
medical professionals, managers, hospitals administrators, investors, owners,
shareholders, insurances, researchers, consumers, consultants, small, medium and
big hospitals and clinics.
l)
Organize
integrated and centralized shared services to benefit UNAPH Members e.g Joint
Health Referral Systems, CMS, JAS and others.
m)
Link
the private hospital sector (PFP’s) to other specialized Hospital programs and
international organizations handling hospital affairs e.g WHO Hospital Affairs
Dept., International Hospital Federation (IHF) and other regional hospital
federations.
n)
UNAPH
is among the founders and supports the African Federation of Hospital
Associations (AFHA) a continental hospital federation striving to bring
together African Countries’ national hospital directorates and hospital
associations in Africa similar to Asian Hospital Federation, EuropeanHospital
and Healthcare Federation (HOPE), American Hospital Association.
o)
Make
dialogue with government authorities and agencies regarding policies and
compliances e.g. tax policies.
Utilizing those
principles to frame ongoing strategic initiatives, UNAPH activity will focus on
the following areas.
Structural
Set-up
·
Actively
support initiatives that provide affordable opportunities for business and
individuals to access health care coverage.
·
Maintain
a balanced level of regulation that offers appropriate patient protection,
community accountability and adequate flexibility for providers to deliver care
in an efficient, ethical and cost-effective manner.
·
Support
policies that further the commitment of UNAPH and its members to be accountable
to the public for the cost, standards and quality of services provided.
·
Collaborate
with the Ministry of Health, development partners, business community and
others to develop solutions that stabilize private hospital care (PFP’s) while
promoting a competitive marketplace.
·
Advocate
for continued refinements in the private hospital care system that promote
improved health service delivery.
·
Support
government programs that fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Child illnesses, Tuberculosis
and other diseases.
·
Develop
Action Plans for each of the above key diseases i.e HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Child
illnesses, Tuberculosis and policy programs.
Funding of the
organization
Adequate funding of programs and
services is a key factor that will enable UNAPH to achieve its goal of
improving private hospital sector. This requires concerted UNAPH involvement
in:
·
Planning
and seek funding for programs and services of UNAPH.
·
Maintaining
financial accountability.
·
Position
UNAPH as the major source for Private hospital care (PFP’s) financial and trend
data.
·
Identify grant-making opportunities consistent
with UNAPH’s programs.
·
Seek
out projects that align with UNAPH’s objectives and services.
Workforce Development
The current and future private health
care environment provide significant challenges to the private health care
system as it struggles to meet growing patient needs brought about by an
increasing population, new technologies and a workforce that is likely to
remain constant in the foreseeable future. This requires that UNAPH:
·
Take
a leadership role in quantifying both existing and expected future shortages of
private health care personnel and measuring progress toward addressing these
shortages.
·
Encourage
the medical schools, MakerereUniversity, government ministries (MOH &
MOE), and private medical colleges to
expand the capacity of health career programs.
·
Identify,
catalogue and disseminate best practice retention strategies.
·
Within
the overall structure of the national licensure/health care personnel regulatory
structure, strive to increase flexibility, allowing individuals to perform
within as broad a capacity as quality patient care will allow.
·
Pursue
employment laws and regulations that are appropriate and fair for health care
providers.
·
Address
the issue of health workers professionals working in both government and
private hospitals.
Quality
and Patient Safety
Nothing is more important to patients we
serve than a safe delivery environment that provides high quality care. The
Association will take a leadership role in advancing quality and patient safety
as a priority. This will be accomplished by:
·
Using
guidelines, recommendations and frameworks by the government.
·
Implementing
UNAPH’s Quality Initiative as the primary strategy for facilitating hospital reporting
of quality and safety performance.
·
Taking
a leadership role in promoting and guiding Patient Safety initiatives.
·
Working
collaboratively with members, government and other organizations to advance a
meaningful quality and safety agenda.
The
Importance of Strategic Relationships
Health care’s delivery evolution has
featured a movement toward services being provided on a full continuum of care.
To position UNAPH to represent this continuum effectively and through the most
efficient use of resources, it is critical that strategic alliances be
established with organizations that share common purposes and agendas.
Organizations with which UNAPH will
strive to ally with include:
·
Uganda
Government
·
Ministry
of Health
·
World
Health Organization
·
UNICEF
·
Uganda
Aids Commission
·
UNAIDS
·
World
Bank
·
Malaria
Consortium
·
International
and national diseases programs
·
Stoptb
Partnership
·
Rollback
Malaria
·
Pharmaceutical
Society of Uganda.
·
National
Drug Authority
·
MakerereUniversity
·
Uganda
Rural Health Association
·
InternationalHospital
Federation
·
National
Medical Councils
·
Public-Private
Partnership in Health (PPPH)
·
Uganda
Allied Health Professional Association
·
Uganda
Medical Association
·
UgandaMidwives
& Nurses Association
·
Uganda
Private Medical and Dental Practitioners Association
·
Association
of Homes and Services for the Aged
·
Health
Development Partners
·
Leadership
organizations representing key members of the health care management system
(e.g., Organizations of Nurse Executives, Health Care Financial Management
Association, Health insurances, Health Public Relations and Marketing Groups,
Healthcare Human Resources Administration, etc.);
·
Key
elements of the Uganda Educational system, including the Ministry of Education,
Health colleges & institutes, Makerere University Medical School, and other
Universities, private colleges, Ministry of Health departments and Commissions.
UNAPH must also continue its commitment
to develop strategic partnerships with organizations that advance program and
policy priorities. These strategic partnerships will occur around a specific
issues or legislative proposals and may bring together organizations that
otherwise have very different goals and agendas. Nevertheless, they are
critical to UNAPH’s success as an advocacy organization and should be maximized
to the extent possible.
Such
organizations include:
·
Uganda
National Chamber of Commerce
·
Private
Sector Foundation, Uganda.
·
Uganda
Investment Authority
·
Ministry
of Trade
·
etc
SWOTANALYSIS
Results of UNAPH’sSWOT Analysisbased
ondiscussionsbetween the association’s board
andexpertconsultantsare:
Strengths
•
Goodlinkswith Ministry of Health, national and
internationalhealthorganizations
•
It’s
the only organization representing private hospital holistically.
•
Committedleadership
•
Opentochange
•
Readyrelationshipwiththegovernment
•
Diverse
staff mix
Weaknesses
• Voluntarymembership
mightmaketheassociationdependenton inadequatefundingandlessresponsivetomemberneeds
• Lackof awarenessamong membersonUNAPHphilosophy
• Membersdonotfeeltheyreceivesufficientvalue
• Notperformingtopotentialforindustry&members
• UNAPH will beconfusedasyetanothergovernmentagency
• MembershipnotsupportingUNAPHbeyondmembershipfees.
• Limitednumber of
professionalstaff
• UNAPHdoesnotoperatethrougha clearstrategicplan
·
Inefficient
role for the Private Hospitals Association.
·
Less
advanced equipment for the small hospitals compared with large hospitals.
·
Excess
capacity and overlapping in certain medical equipment and services.
·
Lack
of skilled management expertise.
·
Inefficient
cooperation within the sector.
Opportunities
• MembershipbasecanbeusedasanopportunitytoengagemoremembersasvolunteerssupportingtheworkofUNAPH
• Roomtogrow,strengthenandlegitimizeorganization
• Availabilityof potential
partners
•
Potentialefficiencies,economiesofscale,andadditionalresources throughalliances.
·
Joint
resources and investment programs
• An operational Planinplace
• ExpansionofUNAPHprogramtomakeit comparableto hospital associations internationally
• Anticipated
private healthsectorgrowth
• Detailedfive-year operational planwillensure
deliverablesand enhancecredibilitywithmembersandstakeholders
Threats
•
Lackof
interestamong private hospital operators.
•
Lackof
skilledworkforce
•
Competition
from other parallel private health associations
•
Restrictivegovernmentregulations
•
Complain by traditional
faith-based medical bureaus that UNAPH is trying to represent their sector
members
•
DiversityofUNAPHmembershipcanchallengeaunifiedvoice
• Economicchallenges– Inflation, sky rocketing prices, dollar rate, VAT/servicechargecosts/
local tax
•
The
implementation of a national health insurance plan is expected to
increasedemand on healthcare services, which will directly influence the
performance ofprivate hospitals.
Association
Membership
UNAPH’s membership is diverse with the
word of Hospitals Meaningprivate hospitals, private clinics and other private
medical related centers. Member
hospitals include; for-Profit Private Hospitals & Clinics (PFP’s), Not-For
Profit Private Hospitals & Clinics (secular), Private Medical Centers,
Private health Centers, dispensaries laboratories, Herbal
Medicine Centers, complementary medicine centers, consultants,
researchers, individuals and other Private health related service
companies. These constituencies have before not been represented as
institutions where sometimes had been represented through individual
professionals associations.
Membership
Benefits
-
Representation
and Advocacy
-
Participation
in a nationwide network dedicated to private hospital sector and private health
issues.
-
Representation
to the Government and other relevant authorities and agencies.
-
Opportunities
to create inter-professional partnerships working to enhance the quality of
private hospital care and seek solutions to private health issues.
-
Annual
Conferences and periodical workshops.
-
Professional
Education and training opportunities.
-
Periodical
Newsletters
-
Input
into national policies and dialogue framework which impact private hospital
sector, private hospitals, private clinics and private health infrastructures.
-
Consultancy
and legal Services.
-
Staff
Resource Assistance.
-
Access
to UNAPH’s programs and services e.g., the Central Medical Stores (CMS) and the
Joint Ambulatory Services (JAS) / Joint Referral Systems.
Other
Member Concerns
·
UNAPH
shall maintain its leadership in implementing the National Health Programs.
·
UNAPH
shall advocate for private hospitals and private clinics’ needs in the private
health sector.
·
UNAPH
shall provide dedicated training programs focusing on the needs of its members.
·
UNAPH
shall recognize that workforce shortage issues exist in some disciplines.
·
UNAPH
will provide community-based health leadership necessary to address the
problems of Ugandans.
·
UNAPH
shall provide specialized support to activities involving Private hospitals and
private clinics and their unique approaches to meeting community health needs.
Annual
Private Hospital Awards
UNAPH will organize Annual Hospital
Awards in Uganda to recognize best private hospitals and private clinics and
also recognize their specific area of performances as mentioned below;
-
BestPrivateHospital
-
Best
Private Clinic
-
Best
Private Hospital Administrator
-
Etc.
Specific
Services Performances;
-
Community
Health Services
-
Tuberculosis
-
Immunization
-
Reproductive
Health Services
-
Maternity
Services
-
Childhood
Illnesses
-
Family
Planning
-
HIV/AIDS
care, Counseling
-
STD
Treatment
-
Malaria
Treatment
-
Etc.
Integrated
/ Centralized Services
·
UNAPH
shall recognize and through meaningful programming the evolution of centralized
health service delivery systems, including systems that have health business
aspects. E.g Central Medical Stores (CMS), Joint Ambulatory Services (JAS),
Joint Referral systems and others.
·
UNAPH
will identify and invite the involvement of doctors and health leaders.
Staff
Development
Accomplishing this strategic plan UNAPH
will require a motivated and committed membership working closely with a
motivated and committed staff. The Association will strive to attract a staff
of professionals having the range of expertise necessary to represent major
interests in a broad array of areas and advance the strategic agenda. This
requires that staff:
·
Staff
has the necessary skills mix and experience.
·
Perform
in a collaborative environment based on respect and mutual support.
·
Receive
the training and education necessary to carry out their responsibilities
·
Are
rewarded through compensation and performance strategies that reflect the
values of this plan and are competitive within the Uganda’s healthcare system
and trade association environment.
Related
Corporations and Organizations
UNAPH will organize Shared Services
through its subsidiary companies to that will provide responsive and innovative
business products, services and solutions to health and private hospitals and
private clinics in Uganda.
Central Medical Stores (CMS)
The Central
Medical Stores (CMS) will specifically serve and sell human medical drugs to
private hospitals and private clinics in Uganda. This Central Medical Store
will be operated under Uganda National Association of Private Hospitals
(UNAPH).
Joint Ambulatory
Services (JAS)
The Joint
Ambulatory Services (JAS) will serve as an integrated centralized health
referral services dedicated to serve private hospitals and private clinics.
Uganda Health Management Institute (UHMI)
The Uganda Health Management Institute (UHMI) will
be a private institution established to improve the management skills of
Ugandan health professionals through improved management training, research,
education and capacity in the health sector; creating and sharing new knowledge
in health care management and public health; and networking and collaboration
at national and international levels.
Uganda Rural
Health Association (URHA)
Uganda Rural
Health Association (URHA) is an organization that works to improve rural health
care in Uganda. Its mission is to improve rural health systems and the health
of rural Ugandans through Advocacy, Education, Communication, networking and
research. The association is composed of individuals, organizations, students,
organizations, students, health professionals, doctors, researchers, consumers,
educators, administrators, local government leaders, consultants, insurances,
hospitals, clinics and others in interested in rural health. UNAPH highly
recognizes URHA as its parent organization.
African
Federation of Hospital Associations (AFHA).
The African Federation of Hospital
Associations(AFHA) is an international not-for-profit organization
established in 2007. AFHA represents national public and private hospital
associations, national hospital directorates, and regional hospital
organizations in African countries.
AFHA has the mission of promoting
improvements in health throughout African countries, foster high standards of
hospital care, healthcare management, efficiency and networking of African
hospital associations. AFHA will provide members a range of services and
activities designed to assist in the strategic development of the hospital
sector and provide a forum of sharing ideas, concerns and address mutual challenges
facing the health sector in Africa.
African countries will be represented by
their respective national hospital associations or, where national hospital
associations do not exist, national hospital directorates responsible for the
hospital sector in that country will represent them.
AFHA is similar to other continental and
regional hospital federations like the Asian Hospital Federation, European
Hospital and Healthcare Federation, and the American Hospital Federation.
Uganda
National Association of Private Hospitals (UNAPH)
P.O.Box
29324 Kampala, Uganda
Tel:
+256 772632211, 0704 762575
Email:
unaph22@yahoo.com, unaphserv@gmail.com, unaph@doctor.com
Website:
www.unaph.com
Sir
Apollo Kagwa Road, Opposite Gold Trust Bank
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Private Health Insurance Guidelines Private Health Insurance is currently widely used by both formal and informal sector in Uganda, given its potential to improve access to healthcare, most people who purchase private health insurance find that they get good service from their health fund and have no problems when they need to use or claim on their insurance. However a percentage of subscribers find health insurance problems and Uganda National Association of Private Hospitals (UNAPH) receives inquiries and complaints almost every three months which has prompted us to advise a list of tips to help avoid problems with private health insurance. 1. Keep your Premium Payments up-to-date It is your responsibility to make sure that your premium payments are up to date and you remain financial with your health fund. Most funds require you to pay your premiums in advance. They will normally allow some leeway if you fall behind in your payments by up to a few weeks. However, f...
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