Patient-centred approach to healthcare stressed

Qatar’s first event dedicated to patient experience and the interactions of patients with the healthcare system has begun with more than 1,500 healthcare professionals attending it.The opening ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari yesterday. Commenting on the importance of patient-centred care, HE Dr al-Kuwari said, “Great care is more than having highly qualified care teams, the latest technology or the best services and new facilities – it is also about treating and interacting with patients in a way that respects their values, preferences and needs.” “The Patient Experience Forum is one of many initiatives we are engaging in as a health system on our journey towards a more patient-centred approach to care and a real, transformative partnership with patients,” she added.Delivered by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in partnership with internationally renowned US-based Planetree International, the Patient Experience Forum highlights the importance of involving patients, and their families and caregivers, in every decision that impacts the care they receive.  The two-day event includes a patient panel, where current and former patients will share their experiences, as well as sessions on physician communication, the importance of building relationships with the community, and the role of technology in enhancing patient-centred care. Nasser al-Naimi, deputy chief of quality at HMC, Centre for Patient Experience and Staff Experience, and director, Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute, said the forum not only highlights HMC’s continued commitment to providing its patients with the most effective and compassionate care but also underlines the growing importance of the role of patients, family members and caregivers across the continuum of care. “During the two days of the forum, we will take enormous steps towards establishing a culture of care based on a true partnership with our patients and the community. We are bringing patients into the discussion and can learn from them and work to shape our approaches from their experiences. Patient-centred care is about doing things for the patient with the patient. Collaborating with patients, family members, and caregivers while addressing the patient’s medical needs helps us identify their expectations based on the patient’s values and preferences,” explained al-Naimi. “This combined effort benefits both the patient and ultimately the healthcare system.”Dr Susan Frampton, president of Planetree International, said the event is “groundbreaking for the region”. “This is the largest gathering of professionals dedicated to ensuring that caring, kindness, and respect remain at the heart of healthcare delivery. In addition to the value of the educational programme delivered by renowned speakers from around the world, a truly significant new individual credentialing programme is being unveiled, the Fellow in Person-Centred Care (FPCC),” said Dr Frampton. Dr Frampton went on to note that HMC has been the international pilot site for the development of this fellowship programme, which recognises individual competency in patient-centred care concepts and principles, active application of this knowledge to daily work, and sharing of practical applications that help advance the field of patient experience.“It will be a pleasure to recognise the very first class of the FPCC during the forum’s awards ceremony, and we look forward to working with HMC to continue to support the development of a workforce with the skills required to make caring visible in every patient  interaction,” added Dr Frampton.