Health officials urges public to use virtual health services amidst the rise of Covid-19
- 4 years ago
The Health officials in Qatar have urged the public to reducing coming to healthcare centers by paying physical visit but instead use virtual and telemedicine services for non-emergency cases.
The advice is followed after the amidst increasing number of COVID-19 infections. The dedicated, round-the-clock hotline number 16000 continues to operate and answer all questions and inquiries relating to COVID-19.
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in a twitter post tweeted that, “Healthcare staff are working around the clock to care for patients with COVID-19. It is important that the public support our health system by only visiting emergency departments for serious, life-threatening medical conditions.” HMC’s Urgent care Consultation Service is available from 7 am to 3 pm Sunday to Thursday.
Patients can call the 16000 helpline number and choose the option three, where a doctor will pick their calls to sort their needs and will determine which speciality they should be referred to. Physician-led Urgent Care Consultation service is for non-lifethreatening conditions. It is at present available for urology, orthopedics, general surgery, general medicine, ENT, dermatology, neurology, dental, hematology, medical oncology, paediatrics, gynaecology, geriatrics, pain management cardiology, and mental health.
The National Mental Health Helpline is staffed by a team of professionals who can provide assessment and support to callers through four main categories: children and parents, adults, older people, and frontline healthcare workers.
The helpline also focuses mainly on offering an easily-accessible support line for people in need of professional advice and care. To access the helpline, which is available Saturday to Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm, members of the public can telephone the toll-free number 16000, press 2 for English, press 3 for HMC medical services, and press 1 for medical consultation.
Also, the patients can order their medication by calling 16000, select language, press 3 for HMC and then 2 for medication delivery. The PHCC’s Community Call Centre is available around the clock, and it picks up all the calls from patients for both routine and urgent appointments. People can access the call center through 16000 and book an appointment for a telephone or video consultation with physicians, dentists, and ophthalmologists.
Besides, PHCC’s eight health centres offers urgent care services around the clock in Muaither, Rawdat Al Khail, Al Gharafa, Al Kaaban, Al Shahaniyah, Al Shamal, Um Slal, and Abu Baker Al Siddiq. The Urgent Care Units will offer 24-hour care for patients of non-threatening medical needs under primary care scope, such as minor burns, sprains, severe headache or earache, high fever, dehydration, and dizziness. Other critical conditions will be stabilised and then immediately transferred by EMS for further care at HMC secondary care.
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