Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) has shortlisted 26 employee initiatives for implementation from the thousand plus suggestions generated through its Musharaka scheme.

The scheme is a collaborative effort that engages employees in Seha’s mission of ensuring world-class healthcare in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, a statement from the company said.

The initiative awards the employees of the company with significant cash prizes or merchandise for successful ideas on ways to improve service quality to patients and customers. The scheme has seen enormous employee participation since its launch in May 2011.

Successful ideas recognised by Musharaka include SMS notifications for visa medical screenings, a new performance indicator for pharmaceutical procurement orders, and the establishment for support communities for patients suffering from common diseases.

Other scheme winning ideas include an IT application to track procurement transactions, magazines and newsletters to help public health awareness, screens at healthcare provider entrances offering information about clinics and physicians, the statement said.

Carl Stanifer, Seha CEO, said: “The Musharaka scheme was started to encourage employee participation at all levels within Seha, and obtain valuable employee buy-in and suggestions for ways to further improve the delivery of healthcare in Abu Dhabi. Employees offer a diversity of expertise and skills, and the scheme is a way of tapping into this for the benefit of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system.”

The Musharaka initiative has an average of close to 281 suggestions per month. The period between May and December 2011 saw 2249 suggestions being submitted by team members from various ranks and departments, out of which 26 were shortlisted for recognition and implementation and 8 have already been implemented.

“Winning ideas are those that have a discernable impact in improving healthcare service delivery. The Musharaka scheme has brought to the fore many suggestions, ranging from the very simple to the more complex. They have been evaluated based on effectiveness and feasibility. Our team members are integral to Seha’s mission of world class healthcare for Abu Dhabi, and Musharaka has proved to be an excellent avenue for ensuring communication and channeling suggestions into practical results,” Carl Stanifer, CEO, Seha said.

Other suggestions chosen for implementation include the opening of polyclinics during the weekend to accommodate increased traffic, the introduction of ancillary services like lab, radiology and pharmacy for non-Seha physician referrals at all facilities, a system of elevator labeling, a solution to reduce waiting times in ER and OP departments, improved services for differently-abled and special needs customers, quick response codes for digital content connectivity, elevator posters with clearly labeled department names in the headquarters, and a web solution for customers to share their success stories and offer feedback about the company’s facilities.

Ideas for the Musharaka scheme are submitted by employees through the Seha intranet, the statement said. 

Employees can log on, enter their password, and complete the submission form online. The idea is logged and delivered to the Musharaka programme manager.

An employee receives an acknowledgement and a token gift of appreciation delivered a few days later. 

Within the month, the idea is evaluated by a committee and if feasible, put into practice for further quantification, it said. – TradeArabia News Service