The Hamad Medical Corporation will establish a specialised surgery centre in the former Women’s Hospital building, a senior doctor said.
Phase one of the relocation process has already begun with the move of general and crainomaxillofacial surgery patients to the facility. When the three-phase relocation process is complete, 285 new beds would be made available for surgical patients, Dr Mohamed el-Akkad, vice chair of Surgery at HMC, said in a statement.
The establishment of the new facility is expected to lead to an increase in the number of surgeries performed, reducing waiting times and increasing access to specialised surgical care.
Last month, 86 patients from the Department of Surgery’s inpatient unit at Hamad General Hospital were transferred to the fifth and sixth floors of the former Women’s Hospital. The remaining patients at the inpatient unit will be transferred to the new Surgical Specialty Centre in the coming months as renovations of the facility are completed.
Dr el-Akkad said the completion of the first phase was the culmination of many months of planning and preparation on the part of a large number of clinical and administrative staff.
“The transfer of these first patients to our new facility was completed after many months of planning and preparation. We met regularly for approximately three months and discussed all possible scenarios. Our ultimate goal was to ensure the safe and comfortable transfer of patients to the new unit,” el-Akkad said.
“The second and third phases will involve the transfer of outpatient clinics and operating rooms and are expected to be completed by mid- and late-2019 respectively," he added.
“The final phase of the transition will be completed by 2020 and will involve the completion of renovation and maintenance work on the ground floor, the remainder of the hospital floors, and the exterior of the building.”
El-Akkad said there are also plans to establish a special unit for the rapid assessment of surgical patients as part of the emergency care service. He said this new unit will reduce unnecessary admissions and improve the acute care surgical service.
He said the unit will have the latest equipment and will be staffed by clinical teams trained in the rapid assessment and treatment of a variety of conditions that require surgical intervention.
Dr Moustafa Khalil, senior consultant and head of the Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, said the establishment of the new Surgical Specialty Centre will significantly increase the capacity of his department to provide care to patients who require head and neck surgery. He said in addition to increasing the number of beds available to patients and reducing waiting times, the new facility will streamline how care is provided to patients.
“This repurposed space will provide a dedicated centre for the rapid assessment, treatment, and admission of emergency patients, as well as patients who will undergo planned surgery.
In recent years, centres for specialised surgery have become increasingly popular, with the US-based Mayo Clinic, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Canada-based Toronto General Hospital having established centres that are now recognised internationally.
Khalil said HMC was aiming to have its new facility recognised as a centre for excellence in specialised surgery. He said once fully-operational, the centre will be an important addition to Qatar’s health system and will improve the patient experience for those requiring surgery.
Phase one of the relocation process has already begun with the move of general and crainomaxillofacial surgery patients to the facility. When the three-phase relocation process is complete, 285 new beds would be made available for surgical patients, Dr Mohamed el-Akkad, vice chair of Surgery at HMC, said in a statement.
The establishment of the new facility is expected to lead to an increase in the number of surgeries performed, reducing waiting times and increasing access to specialised surgical care.
Last month, 86 patients from the Department of Surgery’s inpatient unit at Hamad General Hospital were transferred to the fifth and sixth floors of the former Women’s Hospital. The remaining patients at the inpatient unit will be transferred to the new Surgical Specialty Centre in the coming months as renovations of the facility are completed.
Dr el-Akkad said the completion of the first phase was the culmination of many months of planning and preparation on the part of a large number of clinical and administrative staff.
“The transfer of these first patients to our new facility was completed after many months of planning and preparation. We met regularly for approximately three months and discussed all possible scenarios. Our ultimate goal was to ensure the safe and comfortable transfer of patients to the new unit,” el-Akkad said.
“The second and third phases will involve the transfer of outpatient clinics and operating rooms and are expected to be completed by mid- and late-2019 respectively," he added.
“The final phase of the transition will be completed by 2020 and will involve the completion of renovation and maintenance work on the ground floor, the remainder of the hospital floors, and the exterior of the building.”
El-Akkad said there are also plans to establish a special unit for the rapid assessment of surgical patients as part of the emergency care service. He said this new unit will reduce unnecessary admissions and improve the acute care surgical service.
He said the unit will have the latest equipment and will be staffed by clinical teams trained in the rapid assessment and treatment of a variety of conditions that require surgical intervention.
Dr Moustafa Khalil, senior consultant and head of the Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, said the establishment of the new Surgical Specialty Centre will significantly increase the capacity of his department to provide care to patients who require head and neck surgery. He said in addition to increasing the number of beds available to patients and reducing waiting times, the new facility will streamline how care is provided to patients.
“This repurposed space will provide a dedicated centre for the rapid assessment, treatment, and admission of emergency patients, as well as patients who will undergo planned surgery.
In recent years, centres for specialised surgery have become increasingly popular, with the US-based Mayo Clinic, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Canada-based Toronto General Hospital having established centres that are now recognised internationally.
Khalil said HMC was aiming to have its new facility recognised as a centre for excellence in specialised surgery. He said once fully-operational, the centre will be an important addition to Qatar’s health system and will improve the patient experience for those requiring surgery.
