Occupational therapy is described as ‘a health and rehabilitation profession that assists individuals of all ages who have an injury, illness, cognitive impairment, mental illness, developmental, learning, or physical disability to maximize their independence’ (AOTA). Occupational therapy assists individuals in meeting their human needs in terms of self care, productivity/work and leisure, through a broad range of treatment modalities and purposeful activities that will lead to an optimal level of function.
Occupational therapy services at Hamad General Hospital (HGH) form part of the Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) Occupational Therapy Department. Our team provides a service for inpatients at HGH and Women’s Hospital. The service is provided to patients either at their bedside or at designated treatment areas, which are shared with other rehabilitation services, and consist of male, female and pediatric areas. Treatment areas are well-equipped with therapeutic devices and standardized assessment tools.
We work in collaboration with physical therapists, speech therapists, case managers, physicians and PMR specialists within HGH as an entity of multi-disciplinary team care. We also liaise with Rumailah Hospital (part of HMC's network of hospitals), to ensure a continuum of rehabilitative care for our patients. Our department has trained therapists who specially work with MADA (the Assistive Technology Resource Centre in Qatar) to provide our patients with assistive devices and environmental control units. Our unit is also a key integral part of the early intervention team and neonatal care program.
