By Mohammed Iqbal
DOHA: The Primary Healthcare Corporation has launched Patient Consultative Council, a new initiative to involve patients in the decision-making process, PHCC’s Managing Director Dr Mariam Ali Abdulmalik has said.
In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, Dr Abdulmalik said the first such council has been set up at the recently-opened Leabeib Health and Wellness Centre, as a pilot project.
“We are running a Patient Consultative Council for the first time in our history. We aim to engage patients in setting our plans. In the past we used to consult members of the Central Municipal Council (CMC). We find it more important to consult patients directly,” she said.
The idea behind the council is to actively involve patients registered with each primary health centre in various activities of the centre, especially those intended to raise health awareness.
Patients will become members of the council and will be invited to meetings and other activities to be held at their health centres. “We have launched this as a pilot project and have started setting up the first council at Leabeib Health Centre. We will study it and evaluate its functioning before expanding it to other health centres,” said Dr Abdulmalik.
She believes that there will be a “healthy competition” between private clinics and primary health centres, with the expansion of the national health insurance scheme in the country. “Accessibility and quality of service will remain major attractions for patients in the private or the public sector. There would be a healthy competition. Some patients may have a preference for some providers and there may be people who get used to receive care through their practitioners,” said Dr Abdulmalik.
She said the number of visitors at health centres has been growing over the years in line with the rapid increase in the population.
“We receive an average three million cases every year and this has nothing to do with health insurance,” said Dr Abdulmalik.
She said the primary health centres will start providing healthcare under the mandatory national insurance scheme, once the government completes the review of the scheme.
PHCC is conducting a study, under instructions of Minister of Public Health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari for a plan to involve the private sector in the management of primary health centres.
The study is expected to be completed by the end of this year, said Dr Abdulmalik.
PHCC is currently not running any health centres that are dedicated to expatriate workers.
However, all heath centres are open to citizens and expatriates, maintaining the priority of registration for Qataris.
The Expatriate Clinic at Farij Abdul Aziz, which was earlier run by PHCC, has been handed over to Qatar Red Crescent Society, which is running two other workers-only clinics.
The Peninsula
By Mohammed Iqbal
DOHA: The Primary Healthcare Corporation has launched Patient Consultative Council, a new initiative to involve patients in the decision-making process, PHCC’s Managing Director Dr Mariam Ali Abdulmalik has said.
In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, Dr Abdulmalik said the first such council has been set up at the recently-opened Leabeib Health and Wellness Centre, as a pilot project.
“We are running a Patient Consultative Council for the first time in our history. We aim to engage patients in setting our plans. In the past we used to consult members of the Central Municipal Council (CMC). We find it more important to consult patients directly,” she said.
The idea behind the council is to actively involve patients registered with each primary health centre in various activities of the centre, especially those intended to raise health awareness.
Patients will become members of the council and will be invited to meetings and other activities to be held at their health centres. “We have launched this as a pilot project and have started setting up the first council at Leabeib Health Centre. We will study it and evaluate its functioning before expanding it to other health centres,” said Dr Abdulmalik.
She believes that there will be a “healthy competition” between private clinics and primary health centres, with the expansion of the national health insurance scheme in the country. “Accessibility and quality of service will remain major attractions for patients in the private or the public sector. There would be a healthy competition. Some patients may have a preference for some providers and there may be people who get used to receive care through their practitioners,” said Dr Abdulmalik.
She said the number of visitors at health centres has been growing over the years in line with the rapid increase in the population.
“We receive an average three million cases every year and this has nothing to do with health insurance,” said Dr Abdulmalik.
She said the primary health centres will start providing healthcare under the mandatory national insurance scheme, once the government completes the review of the scheme.
PHCC is conducting a study, under instructions of Minister of Public Health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari for a plan to involve the private sector in the management of primary health centres.
The study is expected to be completed by the end of this year, said Dr Abdulmalik.
PHCC is currently not running any health centres that are dedicated to expatriate workers.
However, all heath centres are open to citizens and expatriates, maintaining the priority of registration for Qataris.
The Expatriate Clinic at Farij Abdul Aziz, which was earlier run by PHCC, has been handed over to Qatar Red Crescent Society, which is running two other workers-only clinics.
The Peninsula
