The largest conference dedicated to healthcare quality improvement and patient safety in the Arab world officially opened today, with over 2,500 delegates from more than 75 countries registered to attend the event.
The 6th Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, which began today with a full day of pre-conference intensive sessions and will continue until 25 March at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), features more than 60 sessions delivered by over 20 international and 65 locally-based presenters. The program, developed in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), focuses on patient-centered care, the internationally recognized concept known as ‘joy at work’, improvement science, patient safety, and leadership and capacity building.
Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at HMC and Middle East Forum Co-Chair, said the annual conference is recognized both locally and across the region as an important learning event for healthcare professionals.
“As a teaching institution and an academic health center, we see continuing professional development in the areas of patient safety and quality improvement as one of our core principles. Today, and for the next two days it is all about providing practical knowledge and ideas that can be implemented in the healthcare setting by all kinds of health professionals, promoting education and research and translating it into quality and safety improvement activities, fostering effective innovation, and connecting healthcare leaders and practitioners worldwide,” said Dr. Al Khal.
Held under the theme ‘Building a Culture of Safety’, the three-day conference features the annual event’s largest program to date. Dr. Ron Wyatt, Chief Quality Officer at HMC and Chair of the Planning Committee for this year’s Forum, said the ultimate aim of the conference is supporting healthcare professionals in their pursuit of evidence-based improvement efforts designed to transform their working practices.
“With both internationally recognized and local experts delivering a topical and thought-provoking agenda, the Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare has become a must-attend event for quality and patient safety-focused professionals. Sessions highlight the latest and greatest things happening in healthcare quality improvement around the world and this conference is an ideal platform for leaders and practitioners to connect, develop new networks, and build partnerships designed to support understanding and drive innovation,” said Dr. Wyatt, who led the orientation for today’s sessions along with Mr. Frank Federico, Vice President, IHI.
The ‘Knowledge Zone’, the Forum’s unique exhibition area, will officially open tomorrow and is expected to be a key attraction for delegates, with over 20 exhibitors, including the Ministry of Public Health, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine, the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), Qatar University, Cerner, Qatar Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Interior all participating. A number of HMC’s specialized centers, including the ITQAN Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center, Qatar Organ Donation Center (HIBA), the Tobacco Control Center, and Hamad International Training Center, will also have booths with the Ambulance Service, hospital emergency teams, and Qatar Red Crescent holding live simulations. The poster exhibition, featuring over one hundred posters of some of the best improvement work from healthcare professionals in Qatar will also open tomorrow.
