|
The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) has announced that thirteen training programmes for resident physicians in seven different medical specialties have been awarded the Advanced Specialty Program Accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International (ACGME-I).
The five SEHA hospitals that are the sponsoring institutions for the 13 residency programs are Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), for its programs in internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, paediatrics and psychiatry; Al-Mafraq Hospital, for its programs in internal medicine and paediatrics; Tawam Hospital, for its residency programs in internal medicine, emergency medicine, paediatrics, and general surgery program integrated across SEHA teaching hospitals ; Al-Ain Hospital, for its psychiatry programe; and the Ambulatory Healthcare Service (AHS) for its residency training in family medicine.
Having obtained this accreditation, the UAE, represented by SEHA, ranks second in the world only to Singapore with regard to ACGME-I Program Accreditation.
Commenting on this major achievement, H.E. Mr. Saif Bader Al-Qubaisi, Chairman of SEHA stated: “This recognition by ACGME-I reflects the company’s continuing efforts to provide health care to the people of Abu Dhabi in accordance with the highest international standards. Moreover, the criteria of this accreditation’s focus on patient safety will help strengthen the bridge of trust that has already been built with the local community, also a prime objective of SEHA.”
Al Qubaisi said the accreditation signifies great opportunities for young doctors who come to SEHA teaching facilities for their training. SEHA residency programmes now have status on par with similar programs in the US which means the doctors in training will benefit from similar standards of comparable medical training programmes in the U.S.
“We believe that SEHA will now be able to graduate Emirati doctors in greater numbers to meet the needs of the local health sector. This programme will enable SEHA to support the Emirati community with doctors at a high level of medical competencies and skills, with a comparable level of proficiency as enjoyed by their peers in the United States of America, ”, Al Qubaisi added.
Mr Carl Stanifer, CEO of SEHA, said that the company strives to continuously improve its services to international standard and provide the highest level of medical services. This includes its educational programs and associated academic structure, with the intention of elevating the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in particular, and the UAE in general, to join the ranks of the world’s most academically advanced countries.
Stanifer stated: “Make no mistake: This is a global feat of tremendous significance to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, to its residents and to those who wish to Emiratis who wish to take up the profession of healthcare as a physician. SEHA has provided all the necessary resources over recent years to achieve this huge global feat. The company remains keen to harness all requisite resources, efforts and competencies to bring about the necessary changes that will help achieve the output desired by the application of the international principles and standards of the ACGME-I.”
Dr. Maher Mohammad Abu Al-Hommos, Corporate Education and Research Manager, Corporate Clinical Affairs, SEHA, said: “Achieving this accreditation can be placed in the context of maintaining pace with the global trend of structured and formative training, which is typically based on many key skills which must be acquired during the training period.
Dr. Abu Al-Hommos added that the ACGME-I supports multiple competencies and skills that must be learned by doctors during their training periods, in addition to the necessary scope of medical knowledge and patient care. The Council focuses on the concepts of professionalism, interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals. Trainees in the new educational environment are expected to demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care. In addition, trainee Doctors must be able to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on continuous self-evaluation and life-long learning.
Dr. Abu Al-Hommos explained that the ACGME-I site visitors expressed their positive impression of the efforts that have been made over the past years to meet the rigorous standards adopted by the Council. This has been culminated in the obtaining of accreditation for all these training programmes from the ACGME-I. Only Singapore and the UAE have achieved this status to date.
Dr. Ali Abdul Kareem Al-Obaidli, Group Chief Clinical Affairs Officer, SEHA, stated: “After this very important strategic achievement, we started preparing our training programmes for the next phase of the accreditation. During this process, the rest of the residency programmes in SEHA hospitals are being prepared to achieve the ACGME-I accreditation. We have also initiated the development of new programmes, such as preventive medicine, anaesthesia, and pathology.
He added, “We will soon begin the establishment of advanced fellowship programmes as well, which will meet the desire of many of our local doctors graduating from general basic training programmes to acquire skills in advanced disciplines. With this advanced training, these skilled physicians will enhance the future of the Abu Dhabi health system and the UAE. The accreditation will also open the way for future graduates wishing to continue their advanced specialisations in the world’s most prestigious centres abroad.”
This achievement is hugely important in building educational and training environments in accordance with the highest international standards for trainee physicians. This will help meet the needs of the health system in the UAE by building medical competencies especially for Emirati doctors in training.
This accreditation culminates years of continuous work and tireless efforts, which have been shared between medical and administrative staff in SEHA hospitals. The development is fully consistent with the company’s strategic vision to provide quality international medical services for the people of Abu Dhabi.
SEHA received institutional accreditation from ACGME-I in December 2012, which was mandatory before embarking on the accreditation of specialty and fellowship programmes.
|
New
Review
Abu Dhabi International Airport - 41°F
