Dubai: With an aim of improving the level of health-care services in the country, the Ministry of Health’s Hospital Sector has launched the Hospitals and Health Clinics Assessment Programme.
The programme will assess the performance of all the hospitals and health clinics operating under the umbrella of the ministry. It will evaluate the progress and improvement made in the services provided, according to a uniform evaluation mechanism based on several indicators, including waiting time for the service, the level of customer satisfaction, the rate of staying as in-patient, and the success rate of operations.
Moreover, the programme will provide a unified database to save the results of the evaluation to study the scheduled measurable indicators for each facility on a regular basis and disclose them to visitors and the public annually.
The Hospitals and Health Clinics Assessment Programme will be implemented in several stages represented by placing the endorsement plan, which will be based on the proposals of the public, and the results of evaluation. The implementation of the pilot phase of the initiative will begin during the fourth quarter of this year and overall implementation in all the hospitals and health clinics affiliated to the ministry will begin next year.
Dr Yousuf Mohammad Al Sarkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the Hospitals Sector, emphasised that the programme is of great significance as it supports local efforts to enhance transparency and credibility through direct communication with members of the community. “The public will be informed of the results of the ministry’s assessment of the health facilities which would contribute considerably in raising the level of patient and customer satisfaction and increase their trust and confidence in the UAE’s health care sector.”
Dr Al Sarkal added, “The launch of this initiative reaffirms the ministry’s commitment to provide comprehensive care and ensure a sustainable, secure and competitive environment among various health-care service providers in the country. Moreover, it will contribute in boosting the growth of medical tourism to the UAE, consolidating its status as a fast growing destination for integrated health-care services.”
Dr Kaltham Al Beloushi, Director of Hospitals Administration at the ministry, said: “The initiative is an important step towards the establishment of an evaluation programme for a healthy competition between various health-care service providers. It will motivate them to continue to comply with the highest standards of quality, professionalism, efficiency, safety and reliability in providing health-care services as per the needs and requirements of the patients.”
