Stroke telemedicine system

A collaborative initiative by teams across our hospital network has led to the introduction of a telemedicine system that is improving care for stroke patients admitted to Al Khor Hospital. The stroke telemedicine system was jointly developed by teams at Hamad General Hospital’s Stroke Ward, Al Khor’s Emergency Department and the Health Information and Communication Technology department. The telemedicine technology enables direct evaluation of stroke patients admitted at Al Khor’s Emergency Department, and allows real-time examination of the CT scan imagery by HMC’s expert stroke team based at Hamad General Hospital’s Stroke Ward in Doha, facilitating immediate treatment with life-saving therapies.

Pharmacy automated dispenser

Al Khor Hospital’s Pharmacy Department introduced an automated dispensing cabinet to improve efficiency within the department. The new system reduces delays in dispensing medications and enhances the security of medication via a fingerprint system for authorized pharmacy staff. The system helps accurately dispense medication, reducing medication errors, while supporting pharmacy workflows.

Department of Dentistry advances

Throughout 2016, Al Khor’s Department of Dentistry cared for over 60 percent more patients than in the previous year. Despite this significant increase in activity, waiting times in the department reduced in a number of areas, including a 50 percent reduction in waiting times for patients requiring root canal procedures. The launch of a new specialized Endodontics Clinic was the primary catalyst for these improvements.

Laboratory Medicine and Pathology

The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology acquired new advanced testing machines in its clinical chemistry section. The machines offer a number of benefits to daily operations within the section. A cap piercing function means samples do not need to be opened by the technical staff, improving efficiency and reducing the chances of infection. Additionally, a new modular analytical system performs both clinical chemistry and endocrinology in one platform. This dual test capability decreases the blood sample requirement for the patients as well as reducing the total number of tests that staff need to complete.

Quality and Patient Safety initiatives

Al Khor Hospital’s ongoing commitment to quality and safety saw the introduction of new initiatives designed to maintain the highest standards of care. One such development was the introduction of the Leadership Safety Huddle, to enable staff to solve problems in real time as well as preventing potential problems from developing. The quality and safety measures have led to a range of improvements in the Intensive Care Unit:

• 522 days without a single case of ventilator-associated pneumonia
• 108 days without Clostridium difficile infection
• 887 days without Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia infection