New rules for emergency divisions in AD hospitals
This new structure will provide patients with access to betterdesigned emergency units that meet their medical needs more efficiently and with better results.”
Neil Clark,
acting director, Investment and Capacity Management Division, DoH
abu dhabi — The Department of Health — Abu Dhabi (DoH) has announced new standard requirements for emergency departments in general hospitals across public and private healthcare providers.
According to the new standard, emergency divisions will be restructured into two distinct departments: Emergency departments and urgent care centres. The standard stipulates specific service requirements and criteria that all public and private general hospitals in Abu Dhabi will be required to fulfil in order to obtain licensing for their emergency departments.
The new reforms are part of the department’s ongoing efforts to elevate patient experience and facilitate access to an appropriate emergency care unit in line with the highest standards of quality and safety.
Neil Clark, acting director of the Investment and Capacity Management Division, said: “The DoH remains committed to improving the quality of the healthcare services and taking patient care standards to higher levels as we continue to move towards achieving our vision of a ‘healthier Abu Dhabi’.
“To that end, we revisited the emergency departments’ roles and services and divided them into two separate divisions, with the aim of each providing different interventions based on the severity of the patient’s illness. This new structure will provide patients with access to better-designed emergency units that meet their medical needs more efficiently and with better results.”
The emergency department will be responsible for providing critical care to patients with acute, lifethreatening conditions. These facilities will be led by qualified emergency physicians supported by a full team of specialists in emergency resuscitation, surgery and intensive care, all of whom will be available round the clock.
The urgent care centres will provide initial check-up, stabilisation, diagnostic and referral services to patients with illnesses and minor injuries on a walk-in basis.
The urgent care centres will also operate round-the-clock unless alternative working hours are pre-determined by the DoH.
All new or existing hospitals that wish to obtain the emergency departments licence must request to include such a service under the clinical-support services list in the health facility licensing system during the registration process. The facility will also be required to complete a self-declaration of compliance form and pass the quality audit inspection.
General hospitals that do not meet the emergency department criteria will be licensed as urgent care centres. —