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TbilisiAtlanta

Tbilisi, Georgia / Atlanta, Georgia

2002-Present


Focus: Medical Informatics, Nursing, Health Management, Quality Indicators



The Partners

US Partners: Partners for International Development, an Atlanta-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that evolved from AIHA’s Tbilisi/Atlanta partnership (1992-1999), will rely on the expertise of dedicated professionals from Emory University, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Grady Health System, and Morehouse College.

NIS Partners: The Georgian partners include the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs, the Gudushauri National Medical Center and Iashvili Children’s Central Hospital, and Partners for Health, a Tbilisi-based NGO.


Partnership Objectives

The overall goal of this partnership is to improve the quality of health and healthcare services provided by the Georgian partner organizations and to create a professional nursing model at partner institutions. This will be accomplished through sustainable and replicable administrative and clinical patient care training and education. Educational programs will be designed to address the learning needs of local nurses, healthcare administrators and physicians, ensuring enhanced clinical and managerial roles and contributing to quality patient care outcomes. The partnership will utilize the local expertise and resources of the Partners for Health Foundation (PfHF) to assist in program implementation and evaluation. Specific objectives are to:

  • Develop a framework for nursing care's future that will ensure appropriate training, ongoing education, and care delivery through skills enhancement. Through training-of-trainers and capacity building prepare a core group of nursing educators. Continue improving nursing care services at partner hospitals.
  • Hospital operations and train-the-trainers program for hospital management

    1) Develop and improve organization, operations, and structure at the partner hospitals in three major areas: a) finance; b) management and administration; c) medical care and quality assurance; and d) leadership development.
    2) Develop health care administrative and leadership skills through:
    a) training Master Trainers in health care management education and b) conducting a Certificate in Health Services Management for partner hospitals.
    3) Assist in developing new services at partner hospitals. Develop emergency preparedness plans utilizing resources at partner hospitals.
  • Utilize existing Learning Resource Centers at partner hospitals to develop clinical practice guidelines, medical informatics databases and materials for distance education.


Key Events


   2003
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MOH) was signed between the Gudushauri National Medical Center, Central Children's Hospital, the Partners for International Development, and AIHA, marking the launch of the new Atlanta-Tbilisi partnership. The signing ceremony took place in Tbilisi, Georgia on July 10 and was witnessed by the Minister of Health, Labor and Social Affairs of Georgia and USAID officials.

   2004
  • On June 1, a new emergency pediatric center opened at the Children's Central Hospital. The opening was dedicated to International Children's Day and was attended by the President of Georgia, the Minister of Health, the Mayor of Tbilisi, the Atlanta partners and other officials.
  • On July 18, partners conducted a health fair for Kaspi Cement Factory employees. Blood pressure checks, height, weight and body mass index measurement, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and blood glucose measurements, health risk appraisal and medical health consultations were performed for 100 workers. Media representatives from Tbilisi and Kaspi District broadcasted the event.
  • The partnership opened a new Nursing Resource Center at Iashvili CCH on September 14. The center has been refurbished and equipped through the support of the partnership.
  • On December 17, the President of Georgia declared the Tbilisi/Atlanta Partnership Coordinator, to be an Honorary Citizen of Georgia. The US Ambassador to Georgia, the Deputy Chief of Mission and Georgian partnership counterparts attended the award ceremony, which was held at the State Chancellery in Tbilisi.
  • Four Georgian nurses participated in a three-month training of trainers program at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia. The visiting nurses worked closely with Emory's faculty to develop a clinical curriculum, which they will begin to implement at the partner hospitals in June 2005. During their stay in Atlanta, the nurses received instruction on adult and clinical training techniques. The US partners designed the TOT program with the objective of increasing the percentage of nurses at the partner hospitals who comply with the standards set by the International Council of Nurses (ICN).



Achievements

  • Since the beginning of the partnership, the Georgian partners have participated in a series of training sessions on hospital administration.
  • The US partners conducted an assessment of the partner hospitals in financial standing, systems, and management. Partnership representatives met with the United Social Insurance Fund and reviewed healthcare financing issues and recent changes in the structure and policy of the organization. Partners also actively collaborated with the MoH to report on trends in hospital administration in Tbilisi.
  • The US partners provided training in hospital budget management and monitoring. During the training, the partners evaluated previously provided budget and performance measuring tools and external reporting documentation. The US partners also assisted the NMC and CCH managers in initiating the budget processes.
  • The partners conducted workshops and in-service trainings for nurses in major clinical areas, such as pre-operative nursing practices, pain management, infection control, surgical pre-operative nursing techniques, EMS, triage, understanding lab results, respiratory system allergies and edema, acute and chronic bronchitis, otitis and tonsillitis, TB, intubation techniques and anesthesiology, and preparation of transfusion materials and components.
  • The US partners conducted a quantitative study at the CCH and NMC designed to evaluate application of skills gained by hospital nurses through trainings conducted by partners. The study design was based on partnership training records, notes, pretests, and post-tests skills. The survey results estimated the application of skills gained by nurses through the partnership trainings at 54 percent.
  • The partnership has also worked to develop modern healthcare facilities. On June 1, 2004 a new emergency pediatric center opened at the Children's Central Hospital. The opening was dedicated to International Children's Day and was attended by the President of Georgia, the Minister of Health, the Mayor of Tbilisi, the Atlanta partners and other officials. It provides critically injured children with state-of-the art emergency care and reduces the need for follow-up care.
  • Clinical Practice Guidelines were developed in 18 major clinical areas for the CCH and NMC.
  • Learning Resource Centers were established at both partner hospitals.



Participating Institutions



Contact Information for Tbilisi, Georgia / Atlanta, Georgia

NIS/CEE Partner

Information Coordinator
Gelashvili, Maka
Gudushauri National Medical Centre
51 Javakhishvili Street
Tbilisi, Georgia 380002
Email:  m_gelashvili@nmc.ge
Fax:  (995 32) 95-19-55

Information Coordinator
Kvachadze, Nikoloz
Iashvili Children's Central Hospital
2/6 Lubliana
Tbilisi, Georgia 380059
Web Page:  http://www.cch.ge
Email:  nika@cch.ge
Fax:  (995 32) 52 90 34

Asatiani, Oliko
Gudushauri National Medical Centre
51 Javakhishvili Street
Tbilisi, Georgia 380002
Email:  o_asatiani@nmc.ge
Phone 1:  (995 32) 95-19-55
Fax:  (995 32) 95-19-55


US Partner

US Partnership Coordinator
Walker, Kenneth
Partners for International Development (PfID)
69 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive
Atlanta, GA United States 30303
Email:  kwalk04@emory.edu
Phone 1:  (1-404) 616-3420



Related Links

Mid-Term Assessment Report

USAID Honors AIHA Partners
In an April 19 ceremony, Drs. Ken Walker and Irakli Sasania earned high praise for volunteer work that has resulted in the Republic of Georgia’s first pediatric emergency room.

 




Updated on September 29, 2005