Giving clarity on management of patients, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has developed clinical guidelines for some 11 health conditions.
The 11 guidelines have been developed out of 30 diseases embodied in the National Clinical Guidelines for Qatar as part of the ministry’s efforts to achieve the National Health Strategy (NHS).
The guidelines aim to address large variations in the quality of care delivery across the country. At present, physicians from all over the world practice in Qatar bringing with them variations in clinical practice. With set standards, providers will have more clarity on management of patients.
The guidelines cover common cold, tonsillitis, community acquired pneumonia, asthma in children, asthma in adults, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypertension, diarrhoea in children, lower UTI in females and obesity, the ministry said yesterday.
The ministry will organise workshops for developing the remaining guidelines. All guideline content that is developed will go through senior executive review and sign-off prior to publishing to be available for all healthcare professionals through the MOPH website.
“The guidelines centralise the efforts in dealing with common diseases here,” said Dr Mohamad Adel Ali El Chaer, Specialist- Endocrinology, Aster, who had participated in the workshops for setting up obesity guidelines.
"The guidelines will help introduce benchmark standards for quality of healthcare in the country. On the patient’s side, they can be assured in terms of quality of the care they receive irrespective of the doctor or healthcare facility they are seen at,” he said.
“We are waiting for the ministry to issue the guidelines to the clinicians so that physicians will be able to ensure that their management of various diseases are relevant, consistent, evidence-based and up-to-date. Many doctors do follow the guidelines that we had recommended in obesity care,” he added.
After the initial 30 Guidelines have been developed, the ministry's Quality Team will continue the process of National Guideline development. Guidelines will be regularly revised and updated, said the ministry.
The ministry's National Clinical Guidelines team has also conducted numerous awareness presentations at provider sites including Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHCC), Al Ahli, Sidra Medical Research Centre, Family Medical Clinic, Qatar Petroleum, Aster Medical Group and Al Emadi Hospital, with further presentations scheduled in the future.
The Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department has developed a National Clinical Guidelines Team. The team has in turn communicated with key healthcare providers across Qatar to create a Stakeholder Representative Group. The Clinical Guidelines Team has received nominations of expert physicians from key stakeholders, who will engage in developing the guidelines, said the ministry.
