HMC Signs Agreement with Cerner Corporation to Provide IT Solutions

Doha, January 09 (QNA)- Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) have reached an agreement with 'Cerner Corporation' to deliver a state-of-the-art Clinical Information System (CIS) which will consolidate patient records across the organizations. When the new CIS is deployed and operational, it will support our clinical community in the delivery of high quality care for patients. The solution also includes data for management and clinical reporting, planning, audit and research as a foundation for our plans for an Academic Health Centre. Similarly, the new Enterprise system will pave the way for electronic services to patients as we build a "patient online portal" that facilitates engagement and participation of patients in care management. Starting in April, HMC, PHCC and Cerner Corporation will work side by side during the next five years to implement the systems and ensure a seamless transition. Staff training will commence before "go live" dates for both Hamad General Hospital and the Heart Hospital as the first sites to have the CIS system deployed in September 2013. Primary Health Care Centers will start with a select group of centers planned to "go live" at the same time. The roll out of the whole system is expected to be complete by 2015. On the occasion of signing of the contract with Cerner, Hanan Al Kuwari PhD, Managing Director of HMC said this will directly contribute to the corporation s goal of delivery quality patient-centered care: "We are pleased to have reached this milestone in the project and is sure that HMC clinicians and staff will grab this opportunity firmly and make a success of this project. It is a very important investment for the future of healthcare in Qatar." Managing Director of PHCC Dr. Mariam Abdul Malik, said it was a big step for the organization and will provide for more streamlined services: "We are looking forward to a successful collaboration between HMC and PHCC to deliver this model of unified integrated services with a wide coverage and continuity of services that are integrated with secondary care, as well as being able to support health promotion and prevention which is vital to the vision of PHCC and is one of the goals of the National Health Strategy". (QNA)