Qatar Rehabilitation Institute (QRI) has launched the first rehabilitation helpline, which is designed to make it easier for all the patients that got discharged in order to access follow up rehabilitation care and services. Covering pediatric, adult, and older adult rehabilitation services, the helpline is designed to make the process even simpler for the patients to continue with their required rehabilitation care to support their recovery after they gets discharged from hospital.

Dr Hanadi Al Hamad, Medical Director of QRI and National Lead for Healthy Ageing, explains the importance of this helpline in promoting effective continuity of care: “Every day our clinicians see patients who have experienced a physical trauma following an accident, or neurological damage following a stroke or major surgery, or they have a debilitating chronic disease that impacts their ability to function independently in the community.”

He further added that the “Ongoing rehabilitation therapy is an important component of the patient’s recovery journey, not only during their hospital stay but also after they have been discharged from hospital. While we provide rehabilitative care to a broad spectrum of patients, we also have a significant number of patients who struggle to find their way within the healthcare system. For instance, some of our older patients experience more challenges in accessing the right follow up care after they have been discharged. Our helpline will help address these challenges – not only will it help patients get follow up appointments for rehabilitative care but it will also enable patients aged 60 and above to get an appointment with the new Geriatric Wellness Clinic.” 

Mashael Jassim, Assistant Executive Director of Nursing, has taken the initiative to carry out with the efforts to establish the dedicated helpline to facilitate easier access and improve continuity of rehabilitation care and services as he stated: “Our staff found that some patients experienced difficulties in continuing their rehabilitation care as outpatient clients after they were discharged. In some cases, patients did not understand what was needed to initiate necessary after care and the language barrier made it more difficult for them to seek help through the regular channels.”

“Occasionally the unavailability of treatment slots resulted in delays that could potentially have serious consequences on the patient’s recovery. Continuity of care and care coordination are important concepts that make significant contributions to how people experience health and related care,” Jassim added.

 

Dr Fatma Al Kuwari, Assistant Chairperson of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, one of the main sponsors of this program, stated that: “The risk of delayed or discontinued rehabilitative care is that this may lead to relapse in the patient’s condition and possibly readmission to inpatient care. This is neither desirable or efficient for the patient and their family, nor for our facility – so by enabling the right delivery of follow up care we can ensure better patient centered care and operational performance.” 

Operated by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), QRI is located within Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City and is a state-of-the-art facility with international best practice expertise. The rehabilitative institute consist of rehabilitation medicine services, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy for all ages. The highly skilled team of clinicians and therapists deliver a personalized package of exceptional rehabilitative treatment and care in a healing environment that incorporates both mental and physical  healing.

The Tawasol helpline is available on +974 40260400 from Sunday to Thursday, 7am to 3pm for patients, family or other care takers to request assistance directly from a QRI staff member either in Arabic or English.