The new trauma and emergency facility with 226 patient stations, being built in front of the existing Emergency Department at Hamad General Hospital, will be opened in 2019, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) announced on Wednesday.
HMC has embarked on a major expansion drive with several facilities to be opened from this year. These include Women’s Wellness and Research Center, Ambulatory Care Center and Qatar Rehabilitation Institute to be opened in the coming months. HMC had recently opened the new Communicable Diseases Center.
The new trauma and emergency facility will lead to a significant expansion of trauma and emergency services in Qatar, as it is expected to more than quadruple the existing department's space, providing greater capacity to care for patients presenting with a range of illnesses and injuries with a focus on life-threatening medical conditions.
The facility, spread over four floors, will accommodate 226 patient stations. A full range of diagnostic and treatment facilities will be provided with enhanced operational links to adjoining buildings for efficient transfer of patients, including a direct link to the new operating theatre facility and the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at Hamad General Hospital.
Public drop-offs will be located on the ground floor level and ambulance drop-off facilities on the upper level. A dedicated ambulance ramp will separate public and emergency traffic movement and ensure rapid transfer of patients.
“Qatar’s population has grown significantly in recent years, resulting in increasing numbers of patients relying on our trauma and emergency services,” said Hamad al-Khalifa, HMC’s chief of healthcare facilities.
“The new facility represents a substantial investment in the provision of leading edge, best practice emergency care and reinforces HMC’s commitment to providing the people of Qatar with high quality, world class facilities and healthcare.”
The Emergency Department at Hamad General Hospital is described one of the busiest in the world, with over a million patient visits last year. In recent years, the Department has witnessed a steady increase in the number of patients treated, including paediatric emergency cases.
“The new trauma and emergency building will be one of the largest dedicated emergency care facilities in the region and a world class emergency centre that will further enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients,” added al-Khalifa.
The construction of the trauma and emergency building is being completed in collaboration with Ashghal, the Public Works Authority.
The overall built-up area of the facility is approximately 29,000sqm, making it one of the largest dedicated emergency care facilities in the region.
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