SEPTEMBER 27, 2012     Today the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the USAID’s Enabling Equitable Health Reforms project, organized a round table with the Health Reform Implementation Support Group to present successful hospital management improvement initiatives implemented in three pilot hospitals in Albania.   Minister of Health Mr. Vangjel Tavo, chairman of the Group, and the USAID Mission Director, Mr. Jim Barnhart,  delivered remarks at the opening of the meeting.

Since February 2012, USAID has worked with the Regional Hospitals of Lezha and Korça, and the Tirana University Hospital on Gynecology and Obstetrics “Queen Geraldine,” to introduce improvements such as employee evaluation and new employee orientation programs in human resource departments, a visitor control program to manage the flow of visitors, and incident reporting mechanisms--all standard features in public hospitals in other countries.  Representatives from three “pilot” hospitals presented to their colleagues the Improvement Initiatives that are being implemented in their hospitals and discussed opportunities and challenges ahead.  A set of recommendations will be drafted at the end of the meeting for the Ministry of Health, that include measures to be taken by the Ministry to support these initiatives in these and other hospitals of the country.

USAID health reform project, now in its third year, will continue to provide the Ministry of Health and pilot hospitals with technical support in support of evolving health care system reforms in Albania.