MP SHAH HOSPITAL

By BENJAMIN OPUKO

Named after one of its founders Meghji Pethraj, MP Shah Hospital has grown into one of the leading multispecialty Hospitals in Kenya. Starting out as a nursing home in the early 1930s MP Shah Hospital today offers a range of specialty medical services including renal services, total hip and joint replacements, and cancer treatment. Toseef Din, Chief Executive Officer, is among the few women leading hospital institutions across Africa. 2023 marks her 5th year as CEO, but she has served the hospital for more than 11 years now, first as Head of Finance and then later as Chief Operating Officer.

As CEO, Toseef is still guided by the spirit of the hospital's founders which aimed to alleviate human suffering through the provision of compassionate care. This has seen her midwife the hospital’s growth from a humble 70-bed facility into a magnificent 217-bed hospital that boasts state-of-the-art equipment and amenities. In addition to the children's hospital and the ICU tower, the hospital has recently inaugurated the KPG Medical Center, with an additional 66bed capacity, a physiotherapy unit, medical and surgical wards, operating theaters, and a pediatric oncology ward, which is a much-needed service in Kenya. Under her leadership, the hospital has also demonstrated a commitment to improving healthcare service provision through the opening of two satellite centers and the establishment of the Cochlear Implant Program, restoring hearing to children born without hearing capabilities. Her work as the CEO of MP Shah Hospital is already bringing her unprecedented acclaim. She has been recognized as one of the Top 40 under 40 personalities in Africa for 2022 and also won the Influential Muslim CEO award and also feted as one of the most influential persons in Kenya.

In her role as CEO, Toseef oversees a team of 1,000 staff members. As a leader, Toseef recognizes the importance of using her power to influence others in a positive way. She believes that leadership is not just about climbing the career ladder, but about being a ladder for others. Her leadership style is characterized by compassion, and she is known for her ability to inspire and motivate others through her words of love, comfort, and compassion. She is often described as a soft leader by her colleagues. “I'm often told, Toseef you are a very soft leader. But I feel that you don't need weapons, to make people listen to you. Your words of love, comfort, and compassion are enough to drive results,” she says. Even more, she believes that compassion and empathy are powerful tools that can drive results and create a positive impact in the lives of patients and staff members alike.

Even with her great set of leadership skills, the Hospital just like many others in Kenya, faces a challenge in retaining top medical talent particularly nurses and doctors who opt to leave the country for better opportunities abroad. To address this issue, the hospital has focused on capacity building its College of Healthcare Sciences. Through this initiative, the hospital is training nurses to ensure a constant stream of skilled nurses who can be absorbed in various nursing leadership roles within the hospital.

In addition, the hospital has a robust training and growth program in which it sponsors doctors and nurses to remain current with global trends. Growth and career progression are critical to retaining employees, and the hospital strives to provide opportunities for growth to its staff. The hospital’s CEO firmly believes that “growth and career progression is something that is very important to not only our doctors and to our nurses but for anyone in an institution.”

The hospital has also developed close affiliations with organizations like the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and runs internship programs to retain skilled staff. However, the hospital recognizes that engagement is crucial to retaining employees, and it has implemented various innovative employee engagement programs. These programs include Zumba sessions, potluck sessions, and social outings with the CEO.

Through these initiatives, the hospital aims to create a sense of family among its employees, strengthening social ties and fostering a sense of belonging. Overall, MP Shah Hospital recognizes that employee engagement and retention are critical to its long-term sustainability and is committed to investing in its staff to ensure their growth and success within the organization.

MP Shah Hospital is leading the way in championing women's employment in the healthcare industry. With a strong commitment to this course, the organization boasts a workforce where 64% of its employees are women.

Women employees also comprise a majority of the senior management at 84%. Additionally, 63% of the Heads of Departments (HODs) are women, a clear demonstration that women can also successfully lead hospitals. The organization is also proud to have all its nurse managers being women, another win for the women in science. Being a majority women-led organization, MP Shah also stands out as an inspiration and motivation for other women to pursue leadership roles.

While the hospital’s workforce is typically female-dominated, Mrs. Din acknowledges that there is still work to be done in promoting gender equity. “We have compelling recruitment programs in place that prioritize fairness and inclusivity,” Mrs. Din states. The organization runs a College of Health Sciences to encourage more male nursing students to enter the healthcare industry. By promoting gender diversity, the organization aims to create a level playing field where all genders have equal opportunities for growth and development.

Despite challenges with retaining top talent, MP Shah is committed to its goal compassionate care. The high cost of healthcare is however a major impediment to this goal. At MP Shah hospital, the management has recognized this challenge and taken steps to address it. One of the ways in which the hospital has helped to minimize the burden of high healthcare costs is through the establishment of the Dinshaw Byramjee Dispensary in Nairobi City. The dispensary provides affordable healthcare services such as pharmacy, casualty, dental, and ophthalmology services to the local population. “The Dinshaw Byramjee Dispensary is part of our commitment to making healthcare more accessible and affordable to the local population,” says Toseef.

The hospital recognizes that it is in a unique position to create accessible and affordable healthcare models, and the dispensary is a step towards achieving this goal.

Despite coming at a high cost, MP Shah Hospital places a strong emphasis on the quality of healthcare it delivers, and has implemented various measures to ensure the utmost quality care. One of the key programs in place is the AMUA program, which stands for "Always Maintaining Uniformity of Awesome Care". Under this program, the hospital has embarked on a journey towards achieving accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI) and the ISO 9001 certification.

To ensure clinical governance and adherence to ethical standards, the hospital has established several oversight committees, including the Medical and Therapeutics Committee, Standards and Ethics Committee, and Admissions and Privileges Committee. These committees ensure that the hospital uses the right medication, follows ethical guidelines, and vets doctors who come to operate in the hospital.

To further its goal of delivering quality care, MP Shah hospital unveiled a five-year strategic plan in 2021 which is primarily centered around patient-focused care. The hospital aims to bring the patient at the center of all the decisions they make as a healthcare institution. This means ensuring that policies, procedures, and patient charters are designed with the patient's rights and responsibilities in mind.

The five main pillars of the hospital's strategic plan are financial sustainability, sustainable growth, operational excellence, highly engaged patient-centric teams, and patient-focused care. The hospital believes that focusing on these pillars will enable them to remain patient-centric while delivering excellent healthcare daily.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique challenge to the hospital, particularly in terms of staff well-being. The hospital had to deal with financial, mental, and physical stress and had to establish a mental health and well-being program for its staff. The hospital lost doctors and nurses to the pandemic, further straining the mental well-being for its healthcare workers. The only silver lining to one of the greatest medical tests in our time is that the MP Shah Hospital was presented with an opportunity to fast-track its digital journey, offering patients better access to healthcare services.

The journey to digital health started with the adoption of telemedicine to address the challenges posed by the pandemic. This was followed by teleradiology, where radiologists could report on diagnostics from the comfort of their homes. The hospital also introduced an online booking system where patients could easily book appointments in any of their specialty clinics or other services provided by the hospital. This new approach has made access to healthcare more efficient and convenient for patients.

MP Shah is currently undergoing a major upgrade of its hospital management information system (HMIS), thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The upgrade is expected to include more features in terms of clinical governance protocols, and the hospital's IT department is working on a digital transformation plan to keep the institution at the forefront of technology advancements. This digital transformation plan will help the hospital to offer better services, manage patient data more effectively, and remain competitive in the healthcare industry.

As technology advances, it is important to remember that the patient should always be at the center of healthcare. MP Shah Hospital understands this and is committed to using technology to bring patients together, not apart. The hospital remains steadfast in its commitment to patient care, and it strives to maintain the compassionate, one-on-one conversations that have always been part of the healing process.

MP-Shah Hospital is not only concerned with the well-being of its employees but also with the environment. The hospital has launched a program called Green 365, which aims to reduce the hospital's carbon footprint and be more environmentally conscious. The program includes developing a green policy, hiring green champions, and setting green Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor and evaluate the hospital's progress towards becoming more ecofriendly.

Some of the activities that have been implemented as part of the Green 365 program include installing LED lighting systems and planting trees around the hospital to create a more pleasant environment for patients. The hospital also involves its staff in the program through induction and orientation programs, recognizing that going green is a behavioral change that requires commitment and action from everyone.

The Green 365 program has gained global attention, with MP Shah Hospital being invited to share its journey towards environmental stewardship on international platforms. To take its green journey further, MP Shah Hospital is now aiming to become the first hospital in Kenya to fully go green. To achieve this goal, the hospital is considering introducing green buildings, which will significantly reduce the hospital's carbon footprint and promote sustainability.

As a corporate body, it also strives to give back to the community through various initiatives. The Healing Little Hearts program is MP Shah's flagship program on corporate social responsibility. The program creates affordable models for children who cannot lead normal lives due to heart conditions. Started in 2017, the program has left an indelible mark in the lives of many children who heretofore did not have access to this kind of care.

“When the children come to the hospital, they are often malnourished, weak, and unable to engage in normal activities such as playing sports or attending school. However, after undergoing surgery, the transformation is remarkable. The children are running around the hospital corridors, able to breastfeed and enjoy their meals and have a new lease on life,” Toseef narrates.

The program's success is a testament to the hospital's commitment to making a positive difference in the community.

“I would encourage everyone to have such kind of formidable partnerships and friendships with these organizations where we can touch the hearts literally of these young children who really need our assistance,” adds Toseef.

MP Shah is a healthcare organization that prides itself on being committed to growth and expansion. With a current workforce of 1000 employees, the organization recognizes that there is always room for improvement and expansion. Recently, the organization has signed many Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with leading institutions to facilitate capacity building and enhance the quality of healthcare services offered.

In line with its growth and expansion programs, MP Shah is open to partnerships with other institutions. These partnerships are expected to play a critical role in enhancing the quality of healthcare services offered by the organization. The organization has also developed new programs to train its nurses and doctors, and it welcomes partnerships that will contribute to the development of its healthcare services.

The organization's goal is to open more satellite clinics in the next couple of years to increase access to affordable healthcare services. The organization is also looking forward to establishing a robust pediatric oncology program and developing a Pediatric Neuro Diagnostic Center. The launch of a bariatric program and weight loss clinic programs is expected in the next couple of months, which will enhance the quality of healthcare services offered to the Kenyan population