Building a Safer Healthcare System: 60 Ukrainian Professionals Complete GMKA’s Quality & Safety Course
Sixty Ukrainian physicians — including surgeons, anesthesiologists, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals — have completed the Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA) Quality and Safety Course. This eight-week virtual training program was designed to address critical gaps in Ukraine’s healthcare system and promote the adoption of high standards in clinical practice.
The course focused on minimizing clinical risk, launching quality improvement (QI) initiatives, integrating Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, and enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration between specialties.
Global Expertise for National Impact
Participants learned directly from experts at some of the world’s top medical institutions, including:
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, USA)
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, USA)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, USA)
- Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA)
- Sunnybrook Hospital (Toronto, Canada)
- King’s College (London, UK)
The course was coordinated by Dr. Ronald Bleday, MD, Section Chief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Co-director of the Colorectal Cancer Clinic at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School.
Out of 195 applicants, 60 were selected to participate in the program. The group included:
- General surgeons (33.3%)
- Surgical oncologists (26.7%)
- Anesthesiologists (11.7%)
- Clinical, gynecologic, and radiation oncologists
- Endoscopists, vascular, thoracic, burn, and maxillofacial surgeons
- Neurosurgeons, hematologists, and military doctors
Among the participants were seven department heads and one healthcare administrator, reflecting a growing institutional focus on quality and safety across Ukraine’s healthcare system.
“Ukraine is in the midst of a full-scale war, but we at GMKA are not waiting for ideal circumstances,” said Dr. Nelya Melnitchouk, MD, MSc, FACS, surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and GMKA co-founder. “We are acting now — bringing international best practices to Ukrainian hospitals, improving professional development for physicians, and fostering a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration. Each of the 60 participants will now return to their teams equipped with tools to improve outcomes, reduce risks, and implement proven quality and safety standards. We are deeply grateful to our colleagues from the U.S., Canada, and the UK who shared their expertise.”
Course Structure and Content
The program was structured in two parts:
- Quality and Safety in Surgery (5 lectures)
- Specialty-Focused Quality and Safety Standards (3 lectures)
Lecture topics included:
- Introduction and Overview of Quality & Safety Infrastructure in Surgical Care.
- Anesthesia Quality & Safety — From Preop to Postop.
- Complications, Reportable Events, and Safety Tools.
- The Joint Commission and Regulatory Compliance in Quality & Safety.
- Methodology in Quality & Safety — Driving Performance Improvement.
- ERAS in Colorectal Surgery: Fundamentals and Implementation.
- Quality & Safety in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery.
- Quality & Safety in Oncology.
Upon completion, participants earned 20 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.
Lecturers Included:
- Dr. Ronald Bleday, MD
- Dr. Jason B. Liu, MD, MS
- Dr. David Hepner, MD, MPH
- Dr. Marc Pimentel, MD, MPH
- Dr. Rachel Sisodia, MD
- Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, MD, MPH
- Dr. Julie Hallet, MD
- Dr. Serguei Melnitchouk, MD, MPH
- Dr. Ajay Aggarwal, MD
Participant Feedback
“This is one of the best educational experiences I’ve had in Ukraine on quality and safety,” shared one participant. Others praised the organization, depth, and real-world relevance of the content, and offered suggestions to make future courses even more interactive.
The completion of this course marks an important step in scaling quality and safety practices within Ukraine’s healthcare system. Each graduate brings new knowledge and a renewed commitment to improving outcomes for both civilian and military patients.