The Role of locally driven Clinical Mentorship and Coaching to improve the advance critical care services in Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Critical care availability is limited in Ethiopia. Moreover, the available capacity to manage critically ill patients is  concentrated in the capital city. Mentoring of smaller ICUs by the experienced provider from the larger ICUS is mentioned as a methods  to improve the provision of critical care services but its impact is not well known.

Objectives: This study was aimed to assess the role of locally driven clinical mentorship and coaching and to improve critical care service in Ethiopia.

Methods: Qualitative study methods including in-depth interview and onsite observation was conducted from March 2021 to September  2022 among 24 selected hospitals of Ethiopia. Prior to the study, critical care trained senior professionals from the larger ICUs were  deployed to 24 selected smaller ICUS for a two week immersion that included mentorship and coaching for ICU clinicians. Onsite  observation was focused on the twelve parameters recommended by the international society intensivisits. In addition, the perceived  impact was assessed qualitatively by interviewing 12 key informants from the selected hospitals. Interview was conducted in English and collected data analyzed thematically.

Results: The study included the role of mentorship and coaching for 24 hospitals in Ethiopia. There was consensus that the mentoring  program improved their service and or has enabled them to start critical care in their hospitals. An improvement in unit design, human  resource capacity and quality improvement projects and academic activities in the mentored hospitals was noted.

Conclusion: Country-specific mentorship and coaching from established ICUs to relatively smaller centers were found to be helpful to  improve the clinical service status. Expanding the mentoring program and involving other departments like emergency medicine may  help to improve the service.