Hospital Charts New Path for Innovation, Coordination, and Service Excellence
In a landmark stride toward institutional transformation, the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, unveiled the ISTH Connect Initiative — a strategic innovation aimed at integrating people, processes, and departments for improved coordination, accountability, and service delivery.
The highpoint of the event was the official inauguration of the flagship committee, alongside the commissioning of mini buses and hospital materials powered by the initiative — underscoring a renewed commitment to efficiency, teamwork, and responsive healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the official launch held at the hospital’s main conference hall, the Chief Medical Director, Professor Reuben Agbons Eifediyi, described the ISTH Connect Initiative as a visionary step toward building a “smarter and more connected” hospital.
“This initiative is about making our hospital smarter and more responsive,” Professor Eifediyi said. “From faster and more reliable supply of clean linen to improved coordination and lower defect rates, we are redefining hospital service delivery through connectivity and passion.”
He explained that the initiative is designed to bridge operational gaps, streamline departmental linkages, and strengthen accountability mechanisms — ultimately ensuring that every unit of the hospital contributes seamlessly to patient care and institutional goals.
Presenting the detailed framework, Dr. Yemihan Ogbetere, Consultant Public Health Physician in the Department of Community Medicine, highlighted the ISTH Connect Initiative as a transformative model built around the integration of people, process, and place. She noted that the initiative seeks to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration across service departments such as the Laundry, CSSD, Laboratory, Pharmacy, and Environmental Services.
According to Dr. Ogbetere, the program will kick off with a pilot phase in the Laundry Management Unit, focusing on reviewing and standardizing the entire process flow — from linen collection to washing, packaging, and distribution — guided by internationally accepted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The pilot will serve as a model for other units, strengthening hospital hygiene and infection prevention measures.
A Central Coordinating Committee (CCC) has been constituted to provide oversight and policy direction, supported by departmental focal persons who will serve as communication bridges between the Laundry Unit and user departments. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) — such as turnaround time, defect rates, SOP compliance, and user satisfaction — will be monitored digitally through a centralized dashboard, with periodic reviews and reports to hospital management.
Dr. Ogbetere outlined a phased implementation plan spanning 12 months, covering preparation, pilot, evaluation, and institutionalization — ensuring that the system becomes fully embedded into ISTH’s operational framework and budget. The initiative, she emphasized, is expected to yield measurable benefits including faster service turnaround, reduced waste, better infection control, improved communication, and enhanced staff and patient satisfaction.
“The strength of a hospital lies not in its walls or machines,” Dr. Ogbetere remarked, “but in the connections that bring its people together.”
In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Olukunle Michael, commended the Chief Medical Director for his visionary and forward-thinking leadership, describing the initiative as “a bold leap into the future of healthcare management.” He called on all departments and staff to embrace the ISTH Connect Initiative with passion, commitment, and teamwork.
The launch ceremony drew attendance from hospital management, heads of departments, and representatives of key service units, who hailed the development as a major milestone in ISTH’s evolution into a truly integrated, efficient, and patient-centered institution.
With the commissioning of the newly acquired mini buses and hospital materials, ISTH has set a new benchmark in operational coordination — reaffirming its position as one of Nigeria’s leading teaching hospitals committed to excellence, innovation, and people-driven healthcare delivery.