Homecare services at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) are undergoing a transformation with a multidisciplinary approach to care benefiting patients, according to Dr. Essa Mubarak al-Sulaiti, medical director HMC Homecare Service Department.
"Each patient under our services is visited at home once a month by a team of three to five professionals, including nurses, a physician, a dietician and a physiotherapist, if needed. Normally, the visit lasts between 45 minutes to one hour for stable patients. Visits to patients can be more frequent if their health conditions so require, said Dr. al-Sulaiti.
According to Dr. al-Sulaiti, the internationally-accredited Homecare Service was initially based on nursing care with doctors only providing support to follow up on cases.
“However, doctors now contribute to the development of homecare policies and decision-making processes, which has enhanced the quality of care and improved patient services,” he said. “We have started work on a comprehensive plan to improve the range of services provided to patients in their homes.”
Dr. al-Sulaiti said the collaboration between the Homecare Service and HMC’s Mobile Doctor Service, comprising around 50 consultants led by the Ambulance Service team, has also contributed to improvements in patient care.
He said this plan would see new Qatari physicians brought on board and increase the number of doctors serving in different specialties in the department, including general and geriatric and family medicine, to meet the increasing demand for homecare services.
“This model of care helps ease pressure off the busy emergency departments, as well as in reducing the number of hospital admissions,” he explained. “During the visit, all required clinical examinations and a comprehensive review of the patient’s medications are done. Patients are also provided with any necessary vaccinations.”
Homecare services are available daily from 7am to 3pm for elderly patients aged 60 and above and children with chronic diseases and disabilities. Around 1,000 elderly patients and 70 children from across Qatar are currently being cared for under the service.
Essa al-Sulaiti