Doha - The Emergency Department at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is gearing up for a major expansion to meet the increasing pressure from patients.
The move follows the recent JCI accreditation awarded to the HMC hospitals, which demands improving the quality of all HMC services to international standards, Dr Abdul Wahab Al Musleh, director of the department said here yesterday.
"The JCI accreditation is more about changing the behaviour of the people to achieve international standards," said Musleh.
The existing 95-bed facility will be expanded to include 140 beds once construction of the annex facility is completed. The new building is expected to be ready in four to six months, he added.
Work has also started on a multi disciplinary trauma unit catering exclusively to trauma-related cases. Initially the section will function at the emergency department but there is a plan to develop it into a full-fledged section at a later stage. A world-renowned expert on trauma care will be brought in from the US to support the unit.
HMC is also planning to increase the staff strength at its various emergency departments and upgrade skills of the existing staff. It has tied up with the Pittsburg University in the US which will assist in training of the HMC staff as well as upgrading the quality of emergency services.
Musleh said, with the recent salary revision at HMC, it is now in a position to attract more skilled staff to its various departments.
He said there is also a plan to open more satellite emergency units across the country to reduce the pressure on the HMC facilities. A pediatric emergency unit will be opened at the Old Airport very soon. This will help reduce the rush at the main Pediatric Emergency unit in Al Sadd, he added.
Satellite emergency units currently function in various parts of the country including Al Khor, Al Shamal, Umm Salal, Shahaniya, Al Rayyan and Abu Samra.
© The Peninsula 2007
