MOHAP organizes 6th Virtual Regional Conference on Best Practices in the Implementation of International Standards of Quality and Patient Safety

Abu Dhabi UAE

Sallam Sallam

The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MOHAP, represented by the Clinical Quality and Health Accreditation Department in the Hospitals Sector, organized the 6th Virtual Regional Conference on Best Practices in the Implementation of International Standards of Quality and Patient Safety.

Held in the presence of local and regional healthcare quality leaders and experts and over 270 medical and technical staff in different public and private health authorities, the conference aims to exchange international experiences and best practices in healthcare quality and patient safety, as well as highlight best practices in engaging patients and their families in shaping health policies, systems, and initiatives.

His Excellency Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Director-General of the Emirates Health Services Corporation, opened the conference in the presence of  Dr. Zakaria Al-Attal, Director of Clinical Quality and Health Accreditation Department, department directors, and representatives from the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health Authority, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), Dubai Healthcare City Authority, and private sector hospitals.

Wide range of topics

With the participation of global experts representing internationally accredited hospitals in the Middle East, the discussions, research studies, and working papers touched on a wide range of topics including; the improvement of clinical quality standards, the lessons learned from Covid-19 pandemic for quality and patient safety, the challenges of providing healthcare services remotely, cybersecurity and information security and privacy, best practices in adopting a well-rounded and multi-disciplinary health approach, and the innovation in the health field to strengthen the quality of health services.

Regional platform

In his remarks, Dr. Youssif Al Serkal said: “This conference has become a significant regional platform for the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and local and regional experiences in healthcare quality and patient safety.”

“This stems from the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s vision to strengthen the standards of institutional and medical governance, develop health care, and its sustainability in health settings in accordance with the highest international quality standards.  It’s also part of the Ministry’s painstaking efforts to improve the outcomes of the national indicator pertinent to the percentage of health facilities that meet the international accreditation standards, in accordance with the goals of the National Agenda 2021 and the UAE Centennial 2071,” he added.

Al Serkal pointed-out that MoHAP has long attached special importance to the quality of health services and their effectiveness and patient safety.  He went on to say: “We will carry on to upgrade our medical policies, procedures, and protocols, together with the application of best practices, in line with international accreditation standards. Such efforts wouldn’t be possible without the synergy of our medical, administrative and technical staff to bring happiness to our patients and customers and to boost the confidence of the local and global community in the efficiency of our health institutions.”

This comes at a time when the UAE maintains its position for the sixth year in a row in topping world countries in the number of accredited health facilities, thanks to the unlimited support of the wise leadership.

Inspiring stories

For his part, Dr. Zakaria Al-Attal said: “We kept in mind that the conference topics should be consistent with the latest practices in the implementation of international standards of quality and patient safety. Our goal is to exchange experiences and knowledge, enhance quality practices in the healthcare sector, tackle Covid-19 challenges, and to determine the factors of health care providers’ compliance with international standards.”

“This would help ensure the sustainability of health services across the region and enhance positive contributions of best practices and inspiring stories that bolster the improvement of quality and patient safety,” he concluded.