Doha, 1 August, 2015: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has announced the appointment of Dr. Essa Mubarak Al Sulaiti as the first Medical Director of its Homecare Services.

Dr. Al Sulaiti has commenced work on a comprehensive plan to improve the range of services provided to patients in their homes. The plan is aimed at hiring new Qatari physicians and increasing the number of doctors serving in different specialties in the department, including general and geriatric medicine, to meet the demands of increasing number of patients requiring homecare services.

The Homecare Services Department currently has four physicians specializing in general and geriatric medicine, in addition to one pediatrician.      

Dr. Al Sulaiti graduated from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 1987. He then joined the Department of General Medicine at HMC where he worked from 1988 to 1994. He later joined the Department of Geriatrics at Rumailah Hospital, after achieving both Arab and Irish Board certification in general medicine. Dr. Al Sulaiti has been a consultant in the Homecare Service since 2003.  

According to Dr. Al Sulaiti, the Homecare Service was initially based on nursing care with doctors only providing support to follow up on cases. However, he said doctors now contribute to the development of homecare policies and decision-making processes, which has enhanced the quality of care and improved patient services.    

Dr. Al Sulaiti described HMC's homecare services as a mode of delivering care to patients who do not require acute care, such as those suffering from bed sores, outside of the hospital setting. "This mode of care helps in easing pressure on the busy emergency departments, as well as in reducing the number of hospital admissions."

"Each patient under our services is visited at home once a month by a team of three to five professionals, including nurses, a physician, one dietician and one physiotherapist, if needed. Normally, the visit lasts between 45 minutes to one hour for stable patients," he said, adding that the patient's schedule can be changed by increasing the number of visits when required. "During the visit, all required clinical examinations and a comprehensive review of the patient's medications are done. Patients are also provided with any necessary vaccinations. The care team also requires one of the family members to be present during the visit to ensure proper communication about the patient with their family.

Homecare services are available daily from 7 am to 3 pm for elderly patients (those aged from 60 years and above) and children with chronic diseases and disabilities. Around 1,000 elderly patients and 70 children from across Qatar are currently being cared for under the service.

"The Homecare Service at HMC has witnessed tremendous developments since its official launch in 2003, as we strive to provide our services in accordance with the highest international standards. This has enabled us to achieve Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation in 2009 and 2012, and we are currently working on delivering more improvements to patient care services to achieve our third JCI accreditation this year," Dr. Al Sulaiti said. He lauded the cooperation between the service and mobile doctors, comprising around 50 consultants led by the Ambulance Service team, for the improvements seen in the Homecare Service last year.

"This cooperation has ensured the delivery of rapid care by the Ambulance Service physicians to our patients who are in need of urgent care in their homes and this has consequently reduced the number of hospital admissions," he added.    

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About HMC
HMC has been the principal public healthcare provider in the state of Qatar for over three decades and is dedicated to delivering the safest, most effective and compassionate care to all patients.

HMC manages eight hospitals, incorporating five specialist hospitals and three community hospitals.  HMC also manages the National Ambulance Service as well as home and residential care, all accredited by Joint Commission International. While HMC continues to upgrade its facilities and services, it has also embarked on an ambitious expansion program, targeting the areas of need in our community.

HMC is leading the development of the region's first academic health system and is committed to building a legacy of healthcare expertise in Qatar. We collaborate with partners who are key experts in Qatar and beyond, including Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Partners Healthcare, Boston.

We are also the first hospital system in the Middle East to achieve institutional accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education - International (ACGME-I), which demonstrates excellence in the way medical graduates are trained through residency, internship and fellowship programs.

For more information please visit: www.hamad.qa or contact Noimot Olayiwola, Media Project Manager Tel: (00974) 44390945; Mobile: (00974) 55568709; Email: nolayiwola@hamad.qa 

© Press Release 2015