HMC holds second person-centred care virtual forum

Nearly 3,800 healthcare professionals attended the Person-Centred Care Virtual Forum 2022, delivered by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) last week.

The event was held in partnership with internationally renowned US-based healthcare consultants Planetree International and focused on 'Breaking Healthcare Barriers'. The focus of the forum is to bring together healthcare professionals who share a passion for creating patient and family experience that improves health outcomes and healthcare culture. The conference had three tracks: Beyond the Care Setting: Promoting Healthy Communities; Sharing is Caring: Growth, Inspiration, Innovation, and Beyond; and Scoring Goals in 2022.Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, HMC’s chief medical officer and forum co-chair, said attendees heard from local and international speakers, giving real life examples and strategies that helped them in breaking healthcare barriers and deliver better care to their patients.“We must always try to do more to interact and really understand our patients, take the time to engage with them and their loved ones – this approach helps us deliver better, personalised care,” he said. “The challenge that lies ahead for each and every one of us is how we can continue to break the barriers to healthcare, and this is why the now annual Person-Centred Care Virtual Forum is so important. It gives us a space where healthcare professionals can share and learn from not just experts in the field but also each other.”Forum co-chair Nasser al-Naimi, deputy chief of quality, Centre for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement and director, Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute at HMC, said the programme for second year of the Person-Centred Care Virtual Forum was even stronger than 2021.“Implementing and embracing Person-Centered care helps break down barriers and promotes culturally sensitive support,” al-Naimi said. “It helps care providers and carers refocus on a crucial aspect of care: fulfilling a patient's needs beyond their disability or ailment. When health is protected and barriers to healthcare are broken, individuals, families, communities, nations and economies can and do thrive.”Dr Susan Frampton, president of Planetree International, said the organisation was pleased to be partnering with HMC again for the forum.“Planetree is a mission-driven non-profit organisation setting the global standard for person-centered excellence across the continuum of care. We use a proven, evidence-based framework that puts patients and families at the center of the care experience and emphasizes the importance of caregiver well-being, patient dignity, and community health,” Dr Frampton said. The international keynote speakers for the event included Dr Eric Wei, senior vice president and chief quality officer for NYC Health + Hospitals and the interim chief executive officer for NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. NYC Health + Hospitals. He was joined by Anne Rooney, an experienced global healthcare consultant and president, Anne Rooney & Associates.Dr Hanadi al-Hamad, national lead for healthy ageing for the Qatar Ministry of Public Health (National Health Strategy 2018 – 2022) and medical director of Rumailah Hospital and the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute at HMC along with Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, HMC’s chief medical officer delivered the event’s closing remarks.