Kuwari highlights importance of patient-based care at forum
More than 1,500 healthcare professionals attended Qatar’s first event dedicated to patient experience
MINISTER of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al Kuwari attended the opening ceremony of Qatar’s first event dedicated to patient experience and the interactions of patients with the healthcare system. The minister also toured the exhibition being held on the sidelines of the event.
The two-day event delivered by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), in partnership with US-based Planetree International, focuses on highlighting the importance of involving patients and their families and caregivers in every decision that impacts the care they receive. More than 1,500 healthcare professionals attended the event.
In a statement, the minister said,“Great care is more than having highly qualified care teams, the latest technology, or the best services and new facilities – it is also about treating and interacting with patients in a way that respects their values, preferences and needs.”
She added, “The Patient Experience Forum is one of many initiatives we are engaging in as a health system in our journey towards a more patient-centred approach to care and a real, transformative partnership with patients.”
Deputy Chief of Quality at HMC, Center for Patient Experience and Staff Experience (CPESE) and Director of Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute (HHQI) Nasser al Naimi said the Forum not only highlights HMC’s continued commitment to providing its patients with the most effective and compassionate care but also underlines the growing importance of the role of patients, family members, and caregivers across the continuum of care.
He said that HMC has already started the pilot programme for patient-centred care in five sites at HMC. These areas are Ambulatory Care Centre, Home Health Care Services, Enaya, Private Nursing Centre and Communicable Disease Center.
DrNaimi said that from next year, they will have the final assessment of the five sites for the coveted accreditation to be provided by Planetree International. He added that the facilities need to meet a lot of requirements to get accredited.
He pointed out that patient centred care involves all services around the patient.“Patient centred care is a methodology, a tool that we will use to improve the services that are provided to the patient. It is about doing things for the patient with the patient. Collaborating with patients, family members, and caregivers while addressing the patient’s medical needs helps us identify their expectations based on the patient’s values and preferences. This combined effort benefits both the patient and ultimately the healthcare system.”
HMC Acting Chief Medical Officer and Chair of Patient Experience Steering Committee Dr Abdulla al Ansari said that about two years ago HMC started a programme on patient experience, which helped them start lookingat healthcare differently.. “We did a lot of workshops locally and trained about 1,000 staff. We involved patients, relatives, and even their friends. It was very successful.”
He said that they provide healthcare as a two-way interaction. “We take feedback from patients; learn from them; and we give them what they want rather than what we want. Healthcare services have become individualised.”
President of Planetree International Dr Susan Frampton said that HMC has been the international pilot site for the development of this fellowship programme, which recognises individual competency in patient-centred care concepts and principles, active application of this knowledge to daily work, and sharing of practical applications that help advance the field of patient experience
Other partners include Ministry of Public Health, Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar University, World Innovation Summit for Health and Qatar Cancer Society.