Kalafong pharmacy manager makes his mark
HEALTH-CARE manager Bandela Mgoqi is committed to provide high-quality services to patients due to his position.
Mgoqi has been challenged to be creative and innovative to improve the patient experience.
Since having been appointed pharmacy manager at Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital in Atteridgeville in May 2023, Mgoqi has implemented several initiatives to reduce patient waiting time.
The facility dispenses medicine to about 20 000 to 25 000 patients a month across the main pharmacy, immunology pharmacy and outpatient department pharmacy. It previously operated from 7.30am to 9am, but has significantly reduced its operating hours.The pharmacy now dispenses medicine to all patients at 4pm daily.
“One strategy we have implemented here at Kalafong hospital was to move correctional services inmates from collecting medicine at the main pharmacy to the outpatient department pharmacy. This resulted in improved queue management and service quality for our patients,” he said.
The hospital also introduced three new service categories, the express, main and special windows. These cater for patients with less than five types of prescribed medications, while the other window caters for people with disability, pregnant women and children under the age of 6.
Mgoqi said he has implemented the rush-hour concept to the hospital to address the high patient volume at the pharmacies.
“The rush-hour concept has helped speed up the queue movement.
“Personally, there is nothing more fulfilling for me than the fact that on a daily basis I can make a difference in someone’s life and contribute to improving the quality of health-care services,” he said.
Mgoqi said he also initiated a “skip a queue website” that helps patients to contact the facility, make bookings and access information conveniently.
The website is also connected to WhatsApp for residents who want quick replies from the hospital
Mgoqi is mentoring 25 Grade 12 aspiring pharmacists through the National Rural Youth Service Corps initiative, a programme that takes students from rural areas with matric to upskill them.