Qatar Global Benchmark For Innovation: Health Minister

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fazeena Saleem | The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, yesterday graced opening of the 2024 Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, which focuses on emerging innovation and best practices in patient care.

Dubbed the biggest gathering of its type in the region, the forum is collaboration between Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and the US-based Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and is now in its 10th year. The forum convened more than 2,500 healthcare professionals at Qatar National convention Centre (QNCC) and online, focused on five learning tracks for the attendees - Quality and Safety; Population Health; Leadership and Innovation in Healthcare; Applied Improvement and Person-Centered Care.

In her opening remarks, Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari highlighted the positive and transformative impact the forum has had on Qatar's healthcare sector. She also shed light on Qatar's advancement in healthcare in the past 10 years.

“Our partnership with the IHI was established in 2013 and born out of the aspirations of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the first National Development Strategy (2011-2016) set by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the guiding principles of Qatar's first National Health Strategy (2011-2016) developed and launched by H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in her capacity as chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Supreme Council of Health and Vice Chairperson of the Supreme Committee of Health at that time,” the Minister said.

She added,“...Today we celebrate our commitment to excellence and our wonderful journey which has led Qatar to being recognised as a global benchmark for excellence and innovation. But more importantly today we reaffirm our unwavering ambition to deliver the best care possible for every patient, every time.”

At time of the launch the forum, Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute and IHI aimed to become a premier regional hub for healthcare improvement.

“Our training and improvement programmes now cover the whole sector in Qatar, with more than nine private sector hospitals participating in the improvement training and practical programmes in 2023. We have localised the online courses and are providing these in Arabic to make it accessible to all Arabic countries and are currently establishing training opportunities and partnerships for health providers within the MENA region,” said Dr. Al Kuwari.

The Minister also indicated that the 3rd National Health Strategy will be launched later this year which will elaborate on the health targets set by the Third Qatar National Development Strategy (2024-2030) towards realising the Qatar National Vision 2030.

The opening ceremony also featured Deputy Chief Medical Officer at HMC, and co-chair of the forum, Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal; President and Chief Executive Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Dr. Kedar Mate and President Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Dr. Don Berwick. They emphasised the necessity of upholding high standards of quality and safety in healthcare to ensure optimal patient care.

The Knowledge Zone at the forum featured 15 healthcare partners and a mobile Ambulance Service Command Centre, showcasing the latest technology deployed and preparedness for any major incident. The forum has driven quality improvement and transformation across the healthcare landscape and has seen 26,000 attendees over 10 years, 444,000 professional education learning hours for healthcare professionals and 800 expert speakers from Qatar, the region and beyond.

MENAFN25022024000063011010ID1107896185