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The National Ambulance Service (NAS) has continued its engagement with the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) on the Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System (IBMRCS), with a second-day working visit focused on gaining deeper insight into the system’s functionality and strengthening coordination ahead of its rollout.
During the engagement, the designated Facility Manager of the Bed Management Unit (BMU), Mr. James Sabina, provided the NAS team with a more in-depth demonstration of the system, highlighting its ability to provide real-time information on bed availability across individual wards, including medical and surgical wards.
The NAS Chief Executive Officer, Dr. (Med) George Kojo Owusu, stressed that while real-time bed visibility is critical, effective referral coordination remains central to the success of the system. He noted that without proper coordination between referring facilities, receiving facilities and emergency response teams, gaps could undermine the full benefits of the platform.
The NAS team also proposed a number of modifications aimed at enhancing the system’s effectiveness and usability. Feedback from the IBMRCS handlers indicated that efforts are underway to incorporate the necessary improvements as the system continues to evolve.
Dr. Owusu further highlighted the importance of having dedicated bed management teams at health facilities to monitor and manage patient flow, with Mr. James Sabina noting that the Greater Accra Regional Hospital has already established such a team, positioning the facility to effectively manage bed availability and movement.
Emphasising the importance of patient flow in addressing the “No Bed Syndrome,” the NAS CEO explained that efficient movement of patients through the health system can contribute to freeing up beds and improving overall availability. He referenced existing literature supporting the relationship between effective patient flow and improved bed utilisation.
Dr. Owusu described the IBMRCS as a significant development for Ghana’s healthcare system, noting that the implementation of such an integrated platform places the country among the few African countries pursuing this level of coordinated bed management and referral tracking.
The continued engagement forms part of NAS’s commitment to strengthening prehospital care, referral coordination and timely access to appropriate healthcare facilities, ensuring that emergency patients can be moved through the health system more efficiently when specialised care is required.
