Doha, 27 March 2012: Hand therapy services at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) received a boost with two occupational therapists becoming Certified Hand Therapists (CHT), a prestigious international credential held by only about 33 therapists practicing outside Canada, the USA and Australia.
Syeda Ahmed and Andro John Pabeleo from the Hand Therapy Unit at Rumailah Hospital recently achieved the certification - a credential offering assurance to the public that the therapist treating them has achieved the highest recognition of competency in the profession of upper limb rehabilitation. The certification is granted by the Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC), the only organization granting such qualification internationally. A not-for-profit corporation established in 1989, the HTCC aims to support a high level of competence in the practice of hand therapy through the development and administration of a formal credentialing program.
"The CHT is the highest level of certification that a hand therapist can attain; so if you have been working in the field for a while, to have a CHT after your name is quite an honor and puts a lot of weight to your credentials," said Monique LeBlanc, Acting Supervisor of the Hand Therapy Unit, who was the first CHT brought into HMC to train occupational therapists in hand therapy. "It is a big achievement for them and for HMC. For me as a supervisor, to be able to say that I have four CHTs on my staff is really great and says a lot for the service that we are offering to the public."
The Hand Therapy Unit at Rumailah Hospital was established in 2000 to provide much-needed specialized treatment for patients with hand or wrist injuries and conditions. With the high incidence of trauma injuries in Qatar particularly at construction sites, the unit's 13 therapists see about 125-150 patients per day, most of whom have work-related injuries. "It is the only unit of its kind in the country, and probably the largest in the Middle East," said LeBlanc. The hand therapy team works with plastic and orthopedic surgeons to provide continuum of care, rehabilitating patients within the first few days of the injury or surgery until the patient returns to work.
Achieving the certification requires tremendous personal dedication. It involves meeting rigorous standards, developing a long-range career path, and acquiring the advanced study and training needed to pass the certification examination. A minimum of five years of practice in hand therapy is required to take the exam, and in order to remain certified, CHTs must go through a recertification process every five years, requiring them to undergo continuing education and earn specific points to qualify.
Speaking on their experience working towards certification, Syeda said, "My desire to become a CHT started a long time ago but due to my personal engagements - being a full time therapist and having a family of three kids - I could only decide to pursue it seriously last year. I would say that experience is the key to success with this examination, but you also have to put in a lot of hard work. You need to get organized and spend a number of hours daily towards preparing for the exam. It requires a lot of personal dedication because it is like a marathon, but once you get into it and you have the desire and dedication, you can do it."
"My interest in hand therapy began in 2006 when I joined the team," said Andro John. "When I trained for the exam, I found that having the required experience was really a big help, as well as being dedicated to study. Thanks also to our mentor who guided us very well during our practice. Another thing that played a large part in our success is that our unit is well-organized - we have an educational session every week where we discuss journal topics within our group, as well as case studies. I think all the resources we need are here."
The two added that being certified gives them confidence as professionals and helps assure their patients of quality care.
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About HMC:
Hamad Medical Corporation is the premier non-profit healthcare provider in Qatar. It was established by Emiri decree in 1979 and manages eight highly specialized hospitals, namely, Hamad General Hospital, Rumailah Hospital, Women's Hospital, Al Amal Hospital, Heart Hospital, Al Wakra Hospital, The Cuban Hospital and Al Khor Hospital. Since its establishment, HMC has rapidly developed medical facilities capable of providing state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of diseases that previously could only be managed in overseas medical centers.
HMC prides itself in providing quality and cost-efficient healthcare for all patients regardless of nationality, in line with the State of Qatar's pledge of "Health for All". For this purpose, the Corporation implements a policy of continuous improvement of all management systems and patient care protocols. HMC's ethos is based on three key pillars which are Health, Education and Research.
For more information about HMC please visit www.hmc.org.qa© Press Release 2012
