HMC’s Internal Medicine Clinic observes 4th anniversary
Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Internal Medicine Clinic marked its fourth anniversary last month. The clinic is part of Hamad General Hospital and was established to provide followup care to patients with chronic medical conditions.
Dr Nasseer Masoodi, vice-chair of medicine and head of the Internal Medicine Clinic, said that in 2017 more than 32,000 patient visits were recorded at the clinic. He said they are on track to reach the same number this year with 15,116 patient visits registered during the first half of this year.
“At the Internal Medicine Clinic we are focused on providing continuity of care to existing chronic disease patients. We provide high-quality, personalised care and collaborate closely with a number of hospitals and departments across HMC. Our clinic is unique because of the co-location of outpatient and key support facilities. The clinic is also unique because it was designed with the patient in mind, and specifically with the idea of minimising the movement of patients,” said Dr Masoodi.
Dr Masoodi says the clinic was established with the mandate of providing comprehensive follow-up care to help patients with chronic conditions manage their disease and avoid complications. He said staff at the clinic work with care teams from across HMC to ensure patients receive the best possible care. He says this close collaboration enhances both the overall patient experience and improves health outcomes.
Dr Aisha al-Kubaisi, consultant and deputy head of the Internal Medicine Clinic, said the clinic was established as part of HMC’s move towards providing more outpatient care services outside the hospital setting. She said patients are referred from across HMC’s general hospital network, as well as the National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Qatar Biobank, Hamad General Hospital’s Emergency Department, Red Crescent clinics and the Mobile Doctor’s service.
“The Internal Medicine Clinic is a person-centred care facility. We pride ourselves on developing relationships with our patients because we understand that patients who have a chronic disease benefit greatly from an individualised approach to care. During their visits each patient spends up to 30 minutes with our care teams,” added Dr alKubaisi.
During the last four years the team at the Internal Medicine Clinic has made a significant effort to ensure the services provided meet the needs of their patients. Patient satisfaction surveys have shown that over 95% of respondents would recommend the clinic to family and friends and a patient satisfaction survey conducted this year indicated that overall satisfaction rates were between 95% and 98%.