The Al Wakra-based satellite office for Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)'s Home Healthcare Service and the Seating and Mobility Service are continuing to provide community-based care for thousands of patients, one year after their launch.
Highlighting this, HMC said in a press statement on Monday that around 2,200 patients with disabilities were treated last year by staff from the Seating and Mobility Service.
Activity at HMC’s general hospitals has continued to increase in recent years, underscoring the demand for community-based care options. The demand for Al Wakra Hospital’s outpatient services rose by 25% from 2016 to 2017, according to HMC.
"The Seating and Mobility Service, which is part of the Occupational Therapy Service, and the Home Healthcare Service (HHCS) are evidence of HMC’s commitment to meeting that demand and providing patients with more community-based care options," the statement notes.
“The Al Wakra satellite office for our Home Healthcare Service has brought care closer to the community, meeting the increased demand for a home care service in the Al Wakra area,” noted Dr Essa al-Sulaiti, medical director, HHCS.
More than 330 patients residing in communities south of Doha are currently cared for by staff at HHCS’s Al Wakra office. The HHCS provides care for children and adults who are temporarily or permanently housebound. The service’s multidisciplinary care approach includes home visits by doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who perform a variety of procedures, including oxygen administration, catheter changes and a number of specialised therapies and services, including respiratory, physical, occupational and speech therapy.
According to Dr al-Sulaiti, the HHCS is also working closely with Al Wakra Hospital’s Emergency Department as part of an effort to provide fast-track access to patients who require specialist consultations, minor procedures and device replacements.
The Seating and Mobility Service, which was relocated from Rumailah Hospital to Al Wakra last year, is staffed by an experienced team of therapists who provide and train individuals across the country in the use of appropriate equipment to facilitate mobility, prevent complications such as pain and pressure sores, and enhance psychological and social well-being. "Last year, around 2,200 patients with disabilities who required seating and mobility assistance were treated by staff from the Al Wakra Hospital-based Seating and Mobility Service," the statement added.
Sultan al-Abdullah
“The majority of our patients have received a custom-built power-chair, wheelchair, scooter or customised vehicle, enabling them to move about more freely and independently. We focus on preventing injury and maximising ability. We work with outpatients and inpatients to help increase independence and ultimately improve the overall quality of life for our patients,” said Sultan al-Abdullah, HMC’s chief of occupational therapy.
