Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai (KDAH) is the first hospital in India to be awarded the SMART ICU certification by 3M India after the COVID pandemic. It is also the first hospital in Navi Mumbai to receive this certification. The certification was awarded after a successful six-month-long project headed by Dr. Bharat Jagiasi, Director, Critical Care, KDAH, Navi Mumbai involving over 30 healthcare personnel. The project focused on transforming outcomes in healthcare by upgrading knowledge and promoting best practices in the ICU followed by these healthcare personnel.

One of the key outcomes of this project and certification explores the benefit to patient safety and care. Quality indicators followed by a SMART ICU like KDAH, Navi Mumbai, ensure strict adherence to compliances that aid in the prevention of Secondary Infections in ICU patients. When the patient is in critical care, they are exposed to a heightened chance of contracting other infections due to the low/compromised immunity.

A SMART ICU redefines safety measures taken to protect patients from such instances and thereby reduces their required admission in the hospital due to speedy recovery. Upskilling the staff in terms of patient safety and care also leads to reduced incurrence of extra costs by the patient.

Emphasizing the importance of having a SMART ICU, Dr. Bharat Jagiasi, Director, Critical Care, KDAH, Navi Mumbai said, “We are extremely proud of our team here at KDAH, Navi Mumbai and their perseverance during this project. The importance of critical care and infection prevention & control has come into the spotlight since the inception of COVID-19. While International Infection Prevention Week is observed in October annually, the process of improvement through meticulous surveillance and training based on standard guidelines will continue to be ongoing through projects such as these. We will continue upskilling and improving our quality systems based on global parameters.”

A core team comprising Dr. Poonam Giri, Project Coordinator and Moderator, Dr. Amruta S, Chief Nursing Officer and Rekha Patil, Nurse Educator spearheaded the process.