Hamad Medical Corporation is the first healthcare system in the region and the Middle East to receive ACGME-I accreditation

Qatar joins Singapore as the only countries outside of US to achieve this status

Accreditation secures the future graduation of highly competent Qatari and international physicians to provide the best quality of care to the community

HMC takes another big step towards becoming a leading international Academic Health System

Doha, Qatar, 7 November, 2012

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has become the first hospital system in the region and the whole Middle East to achieve the institutional accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education - International (ACGME-I). This makes Qatar the second country outside of the United States (US) to have the prestigious accreditation conferred upon it which indicates that it meets the highest and most rigorous standards for physicians' speciality training. The accreditation is effective from 1 July, 2012 so that medical residents specializing in the current year will be educated under this accreditation.

The ACGME is the body responsible for accrediting the majority of graduate medical training programs, such as internships, residencies and fellowships for physicians, in the US and the ACGME-I is the international arm of the ACGME. Under the ACGME-I structure, doctors in training programs (residents) undergo structured specialist training supervised by dedicated senior clinicians after graduating from medical school. They are regularly assessed on their medical knowledge, clinical skills, professionalism, interpersonal and communication skills. This ensures the aspiring specialist doctors are well-trained and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide excellent care by the time they finish their training which spans for 4-6 years.

"I am immensely proud of our team for the collaborative effort in achieving this accreditation," said Hanan Al Kuwari, PhD, Managing Director of HMC. "This marks a major milestone in the transformation of HMC into an academic health system which was launched in 2011 as a vehicle to deliver the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser for a healthy nation.  This accreditation will enable us to train and retain the best local talent and to attract top medical graduates and clinical faculty from all over the world as it demonstrates our commitment to providing a world class learning environment."

Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Director of Medical Education at HMC said:  "ACGME-I institutional accreditation ensures the organization is providing a supportive, safe and effective learning environment for aspiring residents and fellows within Qatar and from the region and uniquely positions the Corporation as a center of excellence in this field.

"Implementing the ACGME-I standards will help to improve the training and educational environment of doctors during their specialization period which leads to better quality and safer patient care,'' he said. "This accreditation has been a team effort and I would like to thank the Chairs of the departments and Heads of sections, Programs Directors, Faculty and Residents for their significant efforts in this achievement.  It is an historical moment that has been several years in the making, but our progress will not stop here. The next step is to pursue accreditation for each of our individual residency and fellowship programs."

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ACGME-I, Mr. John Nylen, MBA said, "ACGME-I congratulates HMC, its leadership, Graduate Medical Education office, program directors, teaching faculty and residents in reaching this important achievement. In being accredited, HMC has demonstrated a solid foundation where specialty training programs will have the opportunity to grow and excel, and the graduates of those programs will be better prepared to provide improved patient care now and for years to come."

Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), said "Achieving the ACGME-I institutional accreditation demonstrates HMC's commitment to providing world-class medical and surgical residencies. Having been accredited, HMC will offer exceptional opportunities for WCMC-Q students to pursue specialist training in Qatar without having to travel to the United States. This not only benefits our graduates but ensures Qatar retains its finest medical practitioners."

-Ends-

About HMC:
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is the premier health care 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, National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), 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 health care 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, please contact:
Rachel Barnes
Corporate Communications Department
Hamad Medical Corporation
Tel. No.: +974 4439 5401
Fax No.: +974 4439 5002
www.hamad.qa

© Press Release 2012