Hamad Medical Corporations (HMC) Home Healthcare Services and Private Nursing Services have each been awarded Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care by Planetree International.
Planetree International is a not-for-profit organization that partners with healthcare organizations around the world to transform how patient care is delivered.
In this context, This Person-Centered Care Certification recognizes both organizations achievement and innovation in the delivery of person-centered care. The Home Healthcare Services and the Private Nursing Services join the Ambulatory Care Center and Enaya Specialized Care Center as HMC entities to achieve Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care.
Both the Home Healthcare Services (HHCS) and the Private Nursing Services (PNS) teams underwent a rigorous evaluation by Planetree International in 2020 to achieve the Certification.
Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care represents the highest level of achievement in person-centered care, based on evidence and standards. Person-centered healthcare prioritizes the active participation of patients and their families throughout the healthcare process with an emphasis on partnership, compassion, transparency, inclusion, and quality.
On this occasion, Nasser Al Naimi, Deputy Chief of Quality, Center for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement and Director for the Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute, said the Planetree Certification is a truly great achievement by the leadership and teams at both services to reach this level.
‘At the very heart of person-centered care is the concept that the patient, their family members and the care provider are partners in their healthcare process and both the Home Healthcare Services and the Private Nursing Services have demonstrated their commitment to involving patients, family members and staff at every step of the way,’ Al Naimi said. ‘Both are highly personalized and unique services and this certification is recognition of the innovative and exceptional care they deliver.
‘Planetrees independent Certification Committee evaluated both the Home Healthcare Service and he Private Nursing Service against 26 specific and difficult criteria and determined it has met the standards to be deemed Gold Certified for Excellence in Person-Centered Care,’ said Al Naimi.
Nadya Al Anzi, Executive Director of Nursing for the Private Nursing Services and Home Health Care Services, said the criteria used by Planetree to assess the two sites, addressed components of a person-centered healthcare experience, including the quality of patient interactions, access to information, family involvement and the physical environment of care.
‘We have partnered with our patients and their family members to define strategies, co-design care and implement solutions that improve the experience for our patients and care givers. Each month, our dedicated Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) meet to discuss whats working for the patients and what must be prioritized to further improve the services provided by our dedicated team at PNS and HHCS. This certification is recognition of the work and commitment of our supportive patient and family members and dedicated teams.’
Dr. Hanan Alyafei, Person-Centered Care (PCC) Clinical Champion of HHCS, said the entire team worked hard to implement new processes to ensure all patients are cared for at the comfort of their home, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘Providing home care services to adults and children is an important element of fulfilling HMCs vision of delivering the safest and most effective care to each of our patients,’ Dr. Alyafei said. ‘Our hardworking staff at have always prioritized patient experience and strived to personalize the service for each patient, depending on their needs. Person Centered Care has only strengthened our cause with the involvement and inclusion of our patients and family members in this improvement process. Whether it is delivery of medical consumables to their home or reducing visits to hospitals, our PFAC members have always encouraged and challenged us to keep improving.’
Dr. Susan Frampton, President of Planetree International, said the Planetree Certification is the only award that recognizes excellence in person-centeredness across the continuum of care. ‘This Gold Certification signals to its patients and community that Hamad Medical Corporations Home Healthcare Services and Private Nursing Services are organizations where staff partner with patients and families, and where patient and family comfort, dignity, empowerment and well-being are prioritized as key elements of providing top-quality clinical care,’ Dr. Frampton said.
The Certification criteria address components of a person-centered healthcare experience, including the quality of patient-provider interactions, access to information, family involvement and the physical environment of care. Importantly, the criteria also focus on how the organization supports staff, opportunities for staff, patients, and families to have a voice in the way care is delivered, and the ways that Hamad Medical Corporation-Home Healthcare Services and Private Nursing Services is reaching beyond its walls to care for its community.
As part of the Certification process, which included a virtual validation assessment by representatives from Planetree, discussion with patients, families and current staff validated that specific person-centered policies are in place, including non-restrictive visiting hours and a shared medical record policy; that staff members at all levels are involved in the implementation of person-centered care; and that the organizations physical environment supports patient and family engagement in their care. The process also included a review of the organizations performance on patient experience and quality of care measures, and how measurement of these indicators improves organizational outcomes.
For more information on Planetrees Person-Centered Care Certification Program, including the criteria, the application process and more, visit planetree.org/certification. (QNA)