(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
By Mohammed Iqbal
DOHA: Crowding and long waiting hours at primary care health centres in Qatar have been effectively addressed with introduction of several new reforms particularly the patient classification (triage) system and the appointment system says Dr Mariam Ali Abdulmalik Managing Director of the Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHCC).
In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula Dr Abdul Malik advised the citizens to be patient to see the beneficial outcomes of the fundamental changes taking place in the primary health sector across the country.
“Our people don’t get easily convinced about local services. We have been enhancing and continuously improving our services and we have received many messages of appreciation. In the past people had been complaining about long waiting time. Now they complain about the triage system. Transformation will not happen overtime” Dr Abdulmalik said in reply to a question about the challenges facing the primary healthcare sector.
“We have also been restricted by the limited number of health centres while the population across the country grew very fast over the past years. Finding qualified workforce is another major challenge because the model of care is changing and due to the expansion we have undertaken. We don’t recruit people who are not qualified or do not comply with the QCHP (Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners) requirements” she added.
PHCC services are for all- Qataris and expatriates individuals and families.
“We do not discriminate between Qatari and expatriate patients. Any such discrimination is not only against medical ethics but also against Islamic values” said Dr Abdulmalik.
However she added that there is already and will always be a priority for Qataris in registration at health centres.
Dr Abdulmalik spoke in detail about the vision strategy reforms and future plans of the PHCC.
Health and Wellness.
Health is one of the important indicators of development in any country and we in Qatar are guided by the National Health Strategy (NHS) and work to implement the Qatar National Vision 2030. PHCC launched its national strategy as a framework with specific goals and time frame. In light of this PHCC has set up plans to increase health centres from the existing 23 to 35 by 2019.
The Leabeib Health and Wellness Centre the first such facility in the country and across GCC opened in December 2015 marks a breakthrough because it represents a new concept of healthcare that not only focuses on treatment but also achieving prevention and enhancing wellness.
The new centres will provide holistic healthcare services including family medicine ENT dental ophthalmology vaccination care for non-communicable diseases dermatology well women clinic well child clinic psychiatry home care services physiotherapy among others.
Wellness centres will introduce health services to individuals and families helping them to maintain a healthy lifestyle physical fitness and mental health. All this together will reflect in the general health environment and achievements of QNV 2030.
Every Wellness Centre will include physical exercise hall swimming pool physiotherapy section along with educational and awareness activities using modern technology. There will be five wellness centres distributed in different locations across the country.
Triage
PHCC is reviewing the triage system to develop it according to the patients’ needs. It has reduced the phases of triage to three- First transfer of emergency cases to the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) emergency unit; Second urgent cases are checked by doctors within 30 to 90 minutes; Third patients with cases that don’t require emergency care are assessed and seen by a doctor in an average of 90 minutes.
Having said that the review is taking into account providing the priority to the elderly and children who will be checked immediately without waiting. And no patient will return home without receiving care although there will be variation in the waiting time based on the patient’s condition.
At the same time patients are encouraged to take prior appointments by calling 107. The call centre is going to be expanded to provide information about appointments waiting time and to answer queries from the public. The average time for consultation and diagnosis will be 10 to 15 minutes.
“We will follow the golden rule that declares no patient will return without receiving the health care services while giving priority to urgent cases” said Dr Abdulmalik.
Triage system provides faster and better services reduces unnecessary visits to hospital emergencies identify cases needing urgent intervention and enables quick survey of the patients and fast response to urgent cases.
It gives enough time for medical consultation ensures quality service and encourages patients to take appointment in advance instead of coming and waiting.
This system enhances the concept of self-care and prevention. Trained doctors and nurses provide screening to patients who are coming without an appointment.
Working hours at health centres have been extended from 7 am to 11pm without a break while 13 health centres located in highly populated areas work during week-ends as well. Working hours of laboratories have also been extended since the beginning of this year. Blood samples are now taken from 7am to 1pm and from 4pm to 9pm at all health centres located inside Doha city.
“This step will have great impact in reducing waiting time at laboratories and this decision was taken based on feedback received from patients” said Dr Abdulmalik.
Expansion
Future plans include expansion of some health centres in highly populated areas like the Airport Abu Backer Siddiq Umm Ghuwailina and West Bay. Currently expansion is underway at Al Rayyan health centre.
PHCC last year opened three health centres and another three centres will open in the coming two months.
Future projects also include establishment of urgent care centres at health centres to reduce pressure on HMC emergency. PHCC has already taken over the three urgent care centres in Al Gharafa Shihaniya and Al Kabaan which were earlier run by HMC. Two more centres will be transferred and another two will be added soon. There is a plan for opening four central laboratories in Al Ghuwairiya Leabeib Al Thumama and Roudath Al Khail centres. Al Thumama and Rawdath Al Kahil centres are getting ready for opening.
Future plans include opening of dental clinics with services including root canalling. This will require employing specialist dentists and surgical specialists.
PHCC also has plans to expand the ophthalmology services in health centres making them specialized clinics. Currently work is ongoing to implement this plan in four centres this year and another three centres next year.
There is also a plan to introduce a new service for women after delivery which will provide integrated care for mother and child. This is a joint project between HMC and PHCC and will be implemented at health centres soon.
Patients’ complaints
PHCC receives comments suggestions and complaints from the public and refer them to the officials concerned for necessary action. They will then be included in a regular report of the ministry for study and analysis for improving the services and introducing new ones or improving health facilities in line with the NHS.
PHCC takes all complaints suggestions and comments seriously because they are so important to help in developing services. Some complaints are related to appointments and triage system and some are about medical staff. The number of complaints has reduced after introducing many improvements in the system.
Clinical Information System (CIS).
CIS is one of the important achievements implemented with the support of the society and in collaboration with the patients because medical information system helps or enhance best practices in providing medical services.
CIS enables to record patients’ data electronically and connect all health centres together and with the hospitals. It also allows electronic referral between the two providers. As a joint work between PHCC and HMC under the umbrella of the Ministry of Public Health this has helped in using and adopting international programs in this field. Currently this system has been implemented in 19 health centres.
The Peninsula