The Joint Commission International (JCI) said in its accreditation report that the health services of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) general hospitals are on par with the worlds best hospitals.

In 2016, HMC made history becoming the first healthcare organization in the world to have all its hospitals qualified under the JCI Academic Medical Center accreditation program. Since this time HMCs general hospitals have undergone considerable growth, both in terms of the number of patients treated and the services offered. Al Khor Hospitals Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Al Jusaiman said that, amidst expanding patient needs, HMCs general hospitals have continued to make quality of care and patient safety top priorities.

"In 2018 we cared for over 350,000 patients across our emergency department, various outpatient departments, and day care, radiology, and dialysis units. In spite of increased patient numbers, we've continued to implement key improvement initiatives that are making a real difference to the quality of care we provide," said Al Jusaiman, who is also Deputy Chief of HMCs General Hospitals Group.

Al Wakra Hospital, which cares for patients in the south of the country, was also recognized for its role in bringing specialist services into the community setting. The countrys only dedicated burns unit was relocated to the general hospital and a number of specialized clinics, including the regions only Urinary Stone Center, have been established at Al Wakra Hospital.

The Cuban Hospital was also acknowledged for its expansion of services which include a laser eye surgery clinic, dental specialty services, bariatric and cosmetic services, and a 24-hour translation service, which has improved communication between Arabic-speaking patients and Cuban health professionals.

Officially opened in January 2012 as a joint project between the governments of Qatar and Cuba, The Cuban Hospital provides medical and surgical services across more than 25 specialities to patients in Dukhan, Zekreet, Shahaniya, Umm Bab, and the surrounding areas. It also supports the public health system as a whole, caring for patients from Doha.

Since its last JCI accreditation visit in 2016, the hospital has seen a sharp rise in the number of patients being seen, recording over 85,727 outpatient visits and 6,756 inpatient visits in 2018, compared to 63,358 outpatient visits and 4,700 inpatient visits in 2016. The hospital has also experienced a 35 percent growth in the number of surgical procedures it performed since 2016.

The Cuban Hospitals Medical Director Dr Angel Mario Felipe Garmendia said that while the expansion of new services have been important and noteworthy, the introduction of patient safety and prevention programs were a major focus of the JCI inspectors recent visit.

Source: QNA

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar

Binu Cherian

Start a discussion