Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani being briefed on the various facilities of health care services, at the Daam Specialized Care Center to care elderly patients, at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City, yest
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday officially inaugurated Daam Specialized Care Center, a first of its kind facility in the Middle East to care elderly patients who require long-term medical care outside of the hospital setting.
The inpatient specialized care center under the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) will provide an advanced care system for patients above the age of 60 and who are well enough to be discharged from hospital but still require specialized medical treatment that is often long term.
H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, the Minister of Public Health, and H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al Thani, Qatar Central Bank Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sports and Social Activities Support Fund (Daam), and several other dignitaries and officials were present during the inauguration ceremony.
The Prime Minister toured the facility and he was briefed on the various specialized services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other medical and nursing services in a home-like environment for patients.
The new facility will accommodate 68 patients including 44 private rooms providing occupational therapy, recreational therapy, physiotherapy, and medical and nursing care, all in a comfortable, home-like environment. “Unlike a traditional hospital environment, the Daam Specialized Care Center has been tailored to meet the needs of our longer-term care patients. The Daam Specialized Care Center joins HMC’s existing Enaya Specialized Care Centers, which have been caring for patients since 2010.
“This new facility will have a lasting legacy for our population and will improve our health system’s ability to provide long-term care services in the country for the elderly. Residents of the Daam Specialized Care Center will benefit from programs and services that are tailored to the level of care they require. Like our Enaya Specialized Care Centers, this facility has been designed to create a comfortable, home-like environment in the community; a space that provides the best quality patient-centered medical care while supporting patients in regaining or maintaining optimal levels of functioning,” said Dr Al Kuwari.
“The collaboration between Daam and HMC will enrich Qatar’s health system. It is an excellent example of how community partnerships can help reduce wait times and ensure care services are available in the most appropriate setting. We thank Daam for their support of health initiatives,” she added.
In 2017, H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari and H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al Thani signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Daam Specialized Care Center. The donation from Daam covered one hundred percent of the costs to retrofit and commission the new facility.
“The opening of the Daam Specialized Care Center marks the culmination of the projects and initiatives that we have implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Hamad Medical Corporation. The health sector in Qatar has seen significant developments over the past years, thanks to the combined national efforts to ensure the delivery of high-quality healthcare, as best befits Qatar and its citizens,” said Sheikh Al Thani.
The first and second floors of the four storey facility will provide care for elderly patients who require long-term mechanical ventilation, while the third and fourth floors will care for older adults with dementia, other forms of cognitive impairment, and those who require functional rehabilitative care. “The care teams at Daam support patients and their families. Dedicated care teams provide specialized medical care while also working to educate the care givers of families, enhance the ability of patients to function independently, to engage more with family and friends, and where possible, to bring a sense of normalcy into patients’ lives,” Dr Hanadi Al Hamad, Acting Chair of Elderly Geriatrics at HMC told The Peninsula.
She also added that the first of its kind facility for people above the age of 60 years will help reducing the number of patients (under long term care) occupy beds at Hamad General hospital, Al Wakra Hospital and Heart Hospital.
Daam Specialized Care Center will also treat some patients in need of short-term respite care.
