Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care has arranged a public educational display in the lobby of Hamad General Hospital to promote awareness about delirium and the essential elements of age-friendly health systems.In line with the department’s remit as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Ageing and Dementia, the team, led by Dr Hanadi al-Hamad, National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing in Qatar, chairperson of the Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care at HMC, the department has been spearheading efforts to educate healthcare staff, carers and family members about integrated and holistic care approaches for older patients encapsulated by the age-friendly health system approach.The display was toured by senior HMC executives, including Ali al-Janahi, chief of Tertiary Hospitals Group; Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, chief medical officer; Mariam al-Mutawa, acting chief nursing officer; and Nasser al-Naimi, deputy chief of quality, and director at Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute and the Centre for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement, who support age-friendly health systems.Dr al-Hamad, stated: "We urge our older patients and their families to learn more about how age-friendly health systems can benefit. We promote joint engagement between patients, their families and healthcare providers that incorporate the principles of the 4Ms approach. We encourage older patients to share their goals and priorities so others understand ‘what matters’ to them. They need to be more aware of the impact of the medications they use, as excessive or incorrect medication intake can lead to other health challenges."Al-Janahi said: "Health systems around the world were generally developed for a younger demographic, whereas older people’s health issues need to be managed in a more integrated way, with better co-ordination between care providers, across different settings and over time. Our Geriatric team is doing an excellent job in collaborating with other healthcare teams to establish improved healthcare pathways and to address the problems that matter to older people and their families – this is what we mean by patient-centred care."Dr al-Ansari said he welcomed the efforts of Dr Hanadi al-Hamad and her team to provide education to patients and visitors: "As our population ages, the concept of age-friendly care will increase in importance. Public Health initiatives like this, along with education for our clinicians, will ensure we are delivering the very best standard of care for older patients.""Age-friendly care addresses the unique needs and wants of those who come to us for professional and compassionate care. It is care that is safe and which does not merely view them as patients but recognises the individual’s needs and preferences. In an inpatient setting, nurses spend the most time with patients and are therefore integral to the delivery of age-friendly care," al-Mutawa explained.Al-Naimi, added: "Research shows that better health outcomes are achieved if there is a joint endeavour between patients, families, and care providers to pay attention to the essential elements of age-friendly care known as the 4Ms: what Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility. This approach aligns with our Quality Improvement goals as well as our Patient-Centred Care goals."
May 02, 2023 | 11:17 PM