In support of this goal, HMC is undergoing the largest expansion programme in its history. Since 2017 HMC has opened four new hospitals – Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, Women’s Wellness and Research Centre, Qatar Rehabilitation Institute, and the Ambulatory Care Centre – expanding its infrastructure and the range of services offered to patients.
In October the healthcare provider opened a new Stroke Service Unit at Hamad General Hospital and late last year the first phase of a new specialised surgery centre in the former Women’s Hospital building opened.
Dr Abdulla Al Ansari, Acting Chief Medical Officer at HMC, said:
One of our major achievements for 2018 was the opening of our newest hospital, Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, and a dedicated Surgical Specialty Centre. Last year also saw the official opening of the Tobacco Control Centre, a new Stroke Service Unit, and the launch of a number of new services that are improving patient care.
We have continued to make progress increasing capacity and advancing the quality of care we provide to our patients. Our growth year on year has been rapid and rivals any country in the world in terms of the pace of change. The opening of four new hospitals, coupled with the expansion of existing services, the addition of new staff, and improved ways of working have led to more appointments for patients, additional hospital beds, and reduced wait times, all resulting in greater access to specialised care. Our patients remain at the centre of all we do because Qatar deserves the best and we are best placed to deliver this.’
Qatar ranks in the top quartile on the WHO–World Bank index for universal health coverage, a position Dr Al Ansari says is due in part to HMC’s commitment to providing the best possible care to every patient, regardless of their nationality. HMC clinical teams provided care in more than one and a half million outpatient appointments last year, with patients representing citizens from over one hundred different nationalities. Dr Al Ansari said care teams work with each patient to ensure they receive the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time, and that they have the information they need to make informed choices about their care.
Earlier this year Qatar was ranked fifth in the world for health by the Legatum Institute, a London-based think tank. Qatar is the only country in the region to score in the top five on the annual prosperity index. Dr Al Ansari said the placement reflects how far Qatar’s healthcare system has progressed in recent years and he highlighted the role that HMC plays in providing high-quality universal healthcare for the people of Qatar.
As part of helping ensure Qatar’s population has access to the right care, at the right time, late last year the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) launched a set of new guides aimed at helping people understand how to access healthcare services in Qatar. Ali Abdullah Al Khater, Chair of the Healthcare Communications Committee, said the guides were developed by the MoPH in collaboration with HMC, PHCC, and Sidra Medicine.
Al Khater said:
Qatar’s health system provides a wide range of world-class treatment services to help people recover from ill-health and a growing range of wellness services to assist them in staying healthy and free from disease. Through these guides, we are helping people understand how to access the health system – which is the first step in realising the benefits of our country’s health services. These guides empower the public by clearly outlining what services each provider offers, how to get an appointment, and how to choose the right service for their needs.’
World Health Day is a global health awareness day commemorated every year on 7 April. The day marks the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948 and the global body uses the occasion as an opportunity to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health.
For more information about Hamad Medical Corporation visit their website here.