The Insight Corner Hub: Global Interventions to Improve Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2020

By: Joseph NZAYISENGA¹, Joseph NKOTANYI², Dr. Clement UWASE³

Citation: NZAYISENGA J, NKOTANYI J, UWASE C. Global Interventions to Improve Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2020–2024). PROSPERO 2025 CRD420251090911. Access the full PROSPERO record here.

🔍 Background

Preventable harm in healthcare continues to pose a global challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While global safety frameworks and quality improvement (QI) programs have emerged, their implementation and outcomes vary widely. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to fill the evidence gap by synthesizing global interventions that improved healthcare quality and patient safety from 2020 to 2024.

🎯 Review Objectives

Systematically synthesize evidence of QI and patient safety interventions from 2020–2024.
Quantitatively assess impact on patient safety outcomes.
Compare effectiveness between high-income and LMIC settings.
Identify contextual factors, implementation barriers, and facilitators.

🔬 Methods

Population: Humans (patients, healthcare workers, systems)

Design: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) only

Interventions: Checklists, infection control bundles, electronic safety systems, antimicrobial stewardship, safety training, etc.

Languages Included: English, Chinese, German, Spanish

Databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, WHO IRIS, CINAHL

Risk of Bias Tools: Cochrane RoB-2, ROBINS-I, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale

📊 Outcomes to Be Analyzed

Primary Outcomes:

Reduction in adverse events (e.g., HAIs, medication errors)
Mortality related to safety failures
Compliance with safety protocols

Secondary Outcomes:

Cost-effectiveness, staff satisfaction, patient experience
Protocol adherence and training completion
Hospital readmission rates, equity outcomes

🔗 Planned Data Synthesis

We will use random-effects meta-analysis (DerSimonian-Laird) for studies reporting comparable outcomes (n ≥ 3). Subgroup analyses will consider WHO region, country income level, and implementation duration. NVivo will assist qualitative synthesis of contextual and implementation factors.

Tools: RevMan 5.4 for quantitative data, NVivo 12 for thematic analysis, GRADE for certainty rating

🗓️ Timeline

Start: August 1, 2025
End: January 31, 2026
Registration Date: July 11, 2025

👥 Research Team

Joseph NZAYISENGA – Insightful Corner Hub, Rwanda (Review Guarantor)
Joseph NKOTANYI – Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC)
Dr. Clement UWASE – King Faisal Hospital, Kigali

Contact Email: njeph2010@gmail.com

Institutional Affiliation: Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit

Collaborators: University of Rwanda, King Faisal Hospital Kigali

💰 Funding and Conflicts of Interest

This review is conducted without funding or institutional sponsorship. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

🌍 Additional Insights

First meta-analysis to align outcomes with WHO Patient Safety Action Plan indicators
COVID-19's impact on safety protocol adaptations will be evaluated
Results to inform Rwanda's 2025–2030 Quality Improvement Strategy and WHO recommendations

📄 Access the Full Protocol

You can access the complete registered protocol via this direct link (PDF).

📢 Stay Tuned

Follow us on this blog or connect via Academia.edu for updates as the data synthesis and publication phase proceeds. Your feedback, collaboration, and insights are welcome.

Tags: Patient Safety, Healthcare Quality, Quality Improvement, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, Adverse Events, Infection Control, LMICs, Health Systems, WHO, Rwanda