The Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) has become the second Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) facility to achieve Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care by Planetree International, and the first hospital in Qatar to be awarded the gold Certification after a rigorous evaluation process.

Last year, Enaya Specialized Care Center became the first facility in Qatar to achieved Person-Centered Care Certification from Planetree International. The Communicable Disease Center, Home Health Care Services and the Private Nursing Services are currently undergoing the Certification process.

Opened in 2017, the ACC is an innovative facility that offers a new approach to surgical care in Qatar using advanced clinical and surgical practices offered within the same day and in a single dedicated location. The team underwent a rigorous evaluation by the Planetree team in 2020 to achieve the Certification. Planetree International is a not-for-profit organization that partners with healthcare organizations around the world to transform how patient care is delivered.

Nasser Al Naimi, who is the Deputy Chief of Quality at the Center for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement and Director for the Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute said the Planetree Certification represents the highest level of achievement in person-centered care based on evidence and standards and it is a great achievement by the leadership and team at the ACC to reach this level.

"At the very heart of person-centered care is the concept that the patient, their family members and the care provider are partners in their healthcare process and the ACC has demonstrated their commitment to involving patients, family members and staff at every step of the way," Al Naimi said.

"Planetrees independent certification committee evaluated the Ambulatory Care Center against 26 specific and difficult criteria and determined it has met the standards to be deemed Gold Certified for Excellence in Person-Centered Care," he added.

He also said that the person-centered care program drives at HMC also helps in identifying areas of improvement, in addition to helping find innovative ways to further enhance the patient experience and engage with patients and the community to ensure they receive the best care possible.

"We look forward to all of our facilities achieving this important milestone and following the lead set by the ACC and also Enaya," Al Naimi said.

Medical Director of the ACC Dr. Khalid Al Jalham said the criteria used by Planetree to assess the ACC, addressed components of a person-centered healthcare experience, including the quality of patient interactions, access to information, family involvement and the physical environment of care.

"The care we give at the ACC is unique - providing day care surgery, some inpatient surgical care and clinical care in a single dedicated location," Dr. Al Jalham said.

"Many of our patients are with us for their procedure and are able to recover in the comfort of their own homes. But we are dedicated to ensuring they receive not only the best of care when they are with us, but also in their follow-up care. We worked hard to implement new processes to make sure our patients are supported on their journey," he added.

He noted that the certification was the only program of its kind that globally and formally recognizes the ability of the team at the ACC to deliver excellence in person-centered care. We strive every day to raise the bar in the care and support provided to patients, the people of Qatar and the staff.

For her part, President of Planetree International Susan Frampton said that the certification was the only award that recognizes excellence in person-centeredness across the continuum of care.

This Gold Certification signals to its patients, and community that Ambulatory Care Center is an organization where staff partner with patients and families, and where patient and family comfort, dignity, empowerment and well-being are prioritized as key elements of providing top-quality clinical care," he said.

An integral part of the move towards person-centered care and the certification process was the establishment of a Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at the ACC. The council meets regularly and advises on a number of key issues and improvements at the facility. Member of the ACCs Patient and Family Advisory Council Maryam Al Emadi said it was a great experience to be involved in this important journey for the facility. (QNA)