Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Center for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement (CPESE) yesterday signed a three-year partnership with internationally renowned US-based healthcare consultants Planetree, Inc.
The three-year agreement was signed by Mr. Nasser Al Naimi, HMC’s Deputy Chief Quality Officer and Dr. Susan Frampton, President of Planetree.
Planetree is a not-for-profit organization that partners with healthcare organizations around the world and across the care continuum to transform how patient care is delivered.
The collaboration between HMC and Planetree will strengthen CPESE’s capabilities by providing strategic direction and support to further enhance the healthcare provider’s commitment to ‘putting the patient first.’
The agreement will also see HMC work toward attaining the Planetree Person-Centered Care Designation. This accreditation is the only program of its kind and formally recognizes an organization’s ability to deliver excellence in patient and person-centered care. The accreditation includes empathy and compassion training for staff and the development of a framework for delivering an exceptional experience for both the care receiver and giver.
As part of the partnership, HMC and Planetree will develop and host an annual Patient Experience Conference – a first for Qatar - which will include world-class speakers with knowledge and expertise in the field of patient experience, improvement science, and patient and family-centered care.
“The Planetree designation represents the highest level of achievement in patient-centered care based on evidence and standards. At HMC, this program will drive the overall quality improvement efforts of the organization by identifying areas of improvement,” Mr. Al Naimi said. “The accreditation will also create a sense of achievement and recognition for our staff and the organization and will generate momentum to further enhance the patient experience. Most importantly, it will act as an assurance to our patients, endorsing HMC’s resolution to deliver a superior patient experience.”
“Planetree has a strong reputation for helping hospitals and care providers develop specific criteria to deliver patient-centered care. Through this partnership, we look forward to delivering real and lasting benefits to our patients and the people of Qatar,” added Mr. Al Naimi.
Dr. Frampton said Planetree is ready to support HMC in further enhancing the organization’s ability to provide a positive patient experience and strengthen its existing culture of empathy and compassion.
“Planetree’s primary focus is the delivery of healthcare in a manner that works best for patients,” Dr. Frampton said. “In a patient-centered approach to healthcare, providers partner with patients and their family members to identify and satisfy the full range of patient needs and preferences. Patient-centered care is the core of a high-quality healthcare system and a necessary foundation for safe, effective, efficient, timely and equitable care.”
“Planetree has helped healthcare organizations around the world transform how they deliver care by providing a strategic, structured pathway for creating truly patient-centered care. With the goal of radically improving the healthcare experience for patients and staff alike, Planetree is always seeking new and innovative ways to enhance the delivery of care. We are excited about this partnership and the profound effect it will have on healthcare in Qatar.”
The Planetree collaboration builds on the work that CPESE has done to improve interaction with HMC’s patients. This includes Nesma’ak, HMC’s customer service program which was recognized last year with the Managing Director’s Award at the annual Stars of Excellence Awards and aims to provide patients and the public with excellent service across all HMC customer touchpoints, such as the call center, website, and in-hospital helpdesk queries. CPESE is also playing a key role in the improvement program project at Hamad General Hospital’s Emergency Department, which is focused on delivering enhanced visual environments for patients and an improved patient pathway.
