Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  How can a healthcare leader accurately assess the potential of their medical institution and what tools should be used to measure the effectiveness of staff performance? The answers to these questions are provided by healthcare management, the foundations of which are being studied by participants in a training course currently being held at the Republican Specialized Scientific-Practical Medical Center for Maternal and Child Health (RSSPMCMCH).

Healthcare management is one of the modules in the seminar-training "Ways to Reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality", organized on 9-13 December for leaders of Maternal and Child Health Centers across all 14 regions of Uzbekistan.

The training course is organized by the Ministries of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation, with sessions conducted by leading specialists — experts from the Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology named after Academician V.I. Kulakov (Moscow).

The partnership between the Republican Maternal and Child Health Center and the NMRCOGP named after Academician V.I. Kulakov is based on a mutual cooperation agreement in education and scientific research between these major medical institutions of Uzbekistan and Russia.

"We are undergoing the second phase of the healthcare management course, which provides essential knowledge on modern management approaches, technologies for interacting with the team, and with each specialist. During the course, we also learned about international experiences in health insurance, business plan development, and the implementation of various programs," noted the Director of the Tashkent City Branch of the RSSPMCMCH, Nargiza Umarova.

She believes that such training should continue in several directions, particularly focusing on a balanced approach to staffing, healthcare insurance marketing, and other related areas.

According to the Director of the Ferghana Branch of the RSSPMCMCH, Madiha Suyarkulova, modern healthcare management knowledge and skills are highly relevant for medical institution leaders today.

"Healthcare in Uzbekistan is on the verge of significant changes — a transition to a medical insurance system is imminent. Therefore, it is crucial to master the basics of management in order to organize work effectively in the new environment. This involves proper distribution of available resources, and a precise approach to each specialist to ensure they apply their knowledge and skills most effectively, with maximum benefit for the patient. One of the most interesting areas we are learning during the course is how to prevent employee burnout. It’s no secret that the most in-demand and highly qualified specialists, such as those skilled in performing minimally invasive procedures and high-tech surgeries, bear the greatest workload. This highlights the importance of leadership skills in managing the workload and preventing burnout — both physical and emotional. The ability to apply modern management approaches is one of the key conditions for providing quality medical services to our patients," said M. Suyarkulova.

In addition to healthcare management, other modules of the ongoing course include seminars and training using simulation technologies in obstetrics and neonatology, where obstetricians-gynecologists and neonatologists from district maternity hospitals are enhancing their qualifications.

Each region of Uzbekistan has identified two pilot districts where medical care is expected to improve, and the medical institutions in these districts are set to become exemplary in their field.

There is continuous interaction between the RSSPMCMCH and these pilot district healthcare institutions: training courses are organized for specialists, including with the participation of international trainers, organizational and methodological assistance is provided, and high-tech surgeries are conducted.