(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) In a landmark achievement for the emirate's health sector, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha)'s Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS) has become the first organisation in the world to receive the 'network accreditation' from Joint Commission International (JCI) for its health centres and clinics.
The prestigious JCI accreditation was, until recently, granted only to individual healthcare facilities that have met stringent international standards designed to improve quality of care and patient safety.
The first-of-its-kind endorsement was achieved for AHS' compliance with JCI Ambulatory Standards (April 2010 edition) across 20 of its ambulatory care clinics (ACCs), five disease prevention and screening centres (DPSCs) and three mobile clinics, a total of 28.
Noting the "rigorous" inspection process the AHS clinics and centres have to go through, 20 of which were randomly checked by JCI surveyors, Dr Ashraf Ismail, Managing Director of JCI Middle East, commended the AHS achievement which he said sets "the standard not only for Abu Dhabi, but for the whole region and the world."
In preparation for the survey, AHS has carried out extensive staff training and education, facility improvements and has identified gaps in patient rights, safety issues, emergency preparedness and streamlining infection control issues within an 18-month period.
Although initially deemed "risky" to have the AHS networks accredited at once, this proved to be a "pioneering step" as the 25 clinics and centres have met all of JCI's 11 chapters, each of which have 130 standards and each standard having 340 measurable elements.
"AHS has come a long way in ensuring optimum ambulatory services in line with global best practices. This achievement represents a dramatic turning point," Rashid Saif Al Qubaisi, CEO of AHS told reporters on Wednesday. AHS offers easy access to primary and specialist patient care, including comprehensive laboratory and modern diagnostic facilities, in an outpatient setting.
The volume of patients at AHS is increasing "gradually" for the past four years.
Around 85,000 per month on average have visited the DPSCs while 83,000 per month on average got treated at the clinics last year, Dr Omar Naseeb Al Jabri, Chief Medical Officer of AHS, told Khaleej Times.
"We expect the growth to continue," he added, noting the transfer of 11 clinics to the AHS network - nine previously operated by the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City and two by the Mafraq Hospital.
By the end of this year, residents of Mohammed bin Zayed City and Al Shamkha will have brand new clinics in their areas. One clinic in Al Shamkha and four in Al Ain will also get refurbished and open by next year.
AHS plans to have all these clinics accredited by JCI at a later date. At present, AHS operates 32 ACCs, nine DPSCs, school health services at 267 schools and three mobile clinics.
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