Sidra Medicine is pleased to announce the phased opening of its Outpatient Clinic on the 1st of May 2016. With a strong patient and family centered focus, the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will be a high tech facility that will enhance patient care, promote efficiency and ensure safety.
Led by a team of specialized doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, services at the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic on the 1st of May will start with the launch of three clinics – Dermatology, Pediatric General Surgery Consultation and Obstetrics. The clinics will be supported by radiology, pathology, pharmacy and laboratory facilities. Patients requiring consultation at the three clinics will be referred to Sidra Medicine by their existing primary or secondary healthcare doctor. As it is referral based, the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will not offer emergency services.
“The opening of the Outpatient Clinic is an important first step in the phased opening of Sidra Medicine. This marks the beginning of our journey to establish Sidra Medicine as a state-of-the-art hospital and research center. Our goal is to provide patient-centered clinical care, conduct pioneering research and to educate and train future healthcare professionals,” said the Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Vice-Chairperson of Sidra Medicine.
“Our team has worked incredibly hard and has been collaborating closely with Hamad Medical Corporation in preparing for the opening of the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic. Every aspect of the services and technology at the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will be centered on patient safety and enhancing the patient experience,” continued Lord Darzi.
The Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will adopt the latest technologies to enhance patient experience. For example, pediatric patients will have their height, temperature and weight read by devices which will send the information directly to digital patient files – ensuring that patient information is streamlined and also allowing nurses to spend more time on patient care.
Patients will also benefit from the rapid review and reporting of digital images from X-rays, Ultrasound Scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans or Computerized Tomography (CT) scans all within minutes of being scanned. A 3D printer will provide 3D models of a patient’s organs such as the heart or the brain to help with treatment planning.
Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Abdulla Al-Kaabi said, “As we are a referral based outpatient clinic, we have developed and streamlined our processes and systems to ensure the safe and effective transition of care for the patients coming from other healthcare institutions. Creating and maintaining a patient-safety culture will be integral in our day to day operations. Our ethos is centered in putting our patients and their families at the heart of our strategy to provide high quality patient care. We are looking forward to sharing more details about the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic and its services over the next few weeks.”
As part of the phased opening of services at the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic, plans are in place to offer more pediatric services over the course of 2016. This will eventually include neonatology consultation, developmental pediatrics, child and adolescent mental health, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), pre-operative anesthetic assessment and preparation.
Supporting Q&As
How will patients be referred to Sidra Medicine?
The Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will provide specialist healthcare to patients after they have been referred by their primary or secondary healthcare practitioner.
For example, if you are a patient with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) or Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and require specialist care in dermatology, pediatric general surgery consultation, obstetrics diagnostics and obstetrics – as of the 1st of May 2016 onwards your doctor at HMC or PHCC may refer or direct you to see a healthcare practitioner based at Sidra Medicine.
Will the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic offer emergency services?
No, Sidra Medicine will not be offering emergency services at the Outpatient Clinic. If there is a medical emergency, adult patients are advised to go to Hamad’s Emergency Department. Parents are advised to take their children to HMC’s Pediatric Emergency Centers.
The Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic is based strictly on a referral system. This means that all patients coming to Sidra Medicine will be referred to a specialized healthcare professional after they have been assessed by their secondary or primary healthcare practitioner.
For example, if a patient from Hamad Medical Corporation or Primary Health Care Corporation or one of HMC’s Pediatric Emergency Centers requires specialized care – particularly related to dermatology, obstetrics or pediatric general surgery consultation, the doctor will direct the patient to see a healthcare practitioner at the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic. Patients should not come to Sidra if they do not have a referral from their existing healthcare practitioner.
How will appointments at Sidra Medicine be scheduled?
Once a referral has been made to the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic, a patient’s existing healthcare provider will coordinate with them to schedule and confirm a consultation at Sidra Medicine.
What are the timings at the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic?
The Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic hours will run from 7.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. on weekdays only.
What kind of clinical services will Sidra Medicine be offering from 1st of May onwards?
The Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will be offering outpatient care based on diagnoses, observation, consultation and treatment. These services do not require an overnight hospital stay. From the 1st of May 2016, services at the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic will include dermatology, pediatric general surgery consultation, obstetrics, radiology, pathology, pharmacy and laboratory services.
Will there be other clinical services in the future?
Yes. Plans are currently in place to offer more pediatric services including neonatology consultation, developmental pediatrics, child and adolescent mental health, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), pre-operative anesthetic assessment and preparation. A full range of specialist medical clinics will also be rolled out in the near future. Sidra Medicine will be making announcements about new services in the months to come.
How will patients pay for these services?
More details related to pricing, scheduling and registration will be shared in the weeks leading up to the opening of the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic.