Middle East Forum on Quality Improvement in Healthcare Begins in Doha

Doha, May 18 (QNA) - The first Middle East Forum on Quality Improvement in Healthcare started in Doha Saturday, bringing together more than 2,000 local, regional and international experts to discuss quality improvement imperatives and challenges facing the medical profession. Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC),Qatar's largest public healthcare provider, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), a recognized international leader in healthcare improvement and innovation, are collaborating to bring this three-day event to the region for the first time. The event gathers hospital administrators, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals from Qatar and the wider GCC region and firmly places quality of patient care on the regional healthcare agenda. The opening ceremony was attended by senior healthcare leaders from across Qatar and the Arab World. Hanan Al Kuwari PhD, Managing Director of HMC, addressed the delegates during the opening ceremony, saying the Forum was brought to Doha in partnership with IHI because Hamad strongly believes in the importance of introducing a structured, evidence- based approach to quality improvement into healthcare organizations. "HMC strives to deliver the safest, most effective care to our patients and to the people of Qatar," said Dr. Al Kuwari. "The huge interest that our Forum has generated indicates that many other healthcare professionals in this region share this vision. Every healthcare professional aspires to get the right care to the right patient at the right time. This Forum will help all delegates to further develop their skills and knowledge by learning about the latest evidence-based best practices in quality improvement, the most innovative methodologies to implement these practices, and how to measure rates of success." The ME Forum on Quality Improvement in Healthcare, which is intended to introduce the IHIs internationally recognized methodology and expertise to the region, will provide a unique setting for knowledge sharing. Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, HMCs Deputy Chief of Medical, Academic and Research Affairs for Medical Education, said the international best practices taught at this Forum complement existing models of care that are already being practiced in many institutions in the region. "We are pleased to be collaborating with the IHI on this Forum to bring the latest quality improvement techniques and methodology to all front-line healthcare professionals responsible for patient care," he said. "There is a lot of great work already happening what we want is for everyone to learn even better ways of caring for patients and to introduce continuous quality improvement practices which will help raise standards across the region." Donald Berwick MD, President Emeritus and Senior Fellow of the IHI said that the Forum will help build momentum and bring new ideas and methodologies to the region through the organization's unique learning modules. "At the IHI, we have worked for over 25 years to fulfill our vision of a future in which everyone receives the best healthcare possible," he said. "In Doha we will be focusing on the basics of improvement; creating cultures of safety and innovation; the critical importance of measurement; as well as how to sustain positive change through learning labs, workshop and rapid fire sessions." IHI President and CEO Maureen Bisognano said delegates attending this conference will learn practical steps that could be made in their organization in support of promoting a safety conscious culture. "At IHI we are working with others to build a future in which everyone has the best care and health possible. Since IHI was founded nearly 25 years ago, our vision for improvement has always been anchored by the concept of "all teach, all learn," assembling a unique team that works in collaboration with our partners to spread best practices and improvement capability," said Bisognano. (END)