DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Medical Education recently received accreditation for seven of its residency training programmes by ACGME-I, the international arm of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The ACGME accredits US-based hospitals and medical centres to ensure the highest standard of training for doctors in their residency and fellowship years. The ACGME-I accredits international hospitals and medical centres using the same rigorous standards.
ACGME-I accreditation is based on meeting the required standards in six major areas of medical competency including medical knowledge, clinical skills, interpersonal and communication skills, practice-based learning and improvement, system-based practice and professionalism. These competencies are reflected in the residency training programmes, which typically last between four and six years depending on the specialty.
The importance of ACGME-I accreditation in terms of HMC’s academic health strategy and its overall commitment to continuous quality improvement and patients’ safety were highlighted during the event.
“This achievement solidifies HMC’s position as an internationally recognised teaching institution,” said Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director of HMC. “As a key academic health partner, we are committed to adopting the highest international standards for doctors’ education by preparing our future medical workforce through the accreditation of our own institution and, residency and fellowship programs. This is important for the development of our staff, the reputation of our organization, and above all, for the benefit of our patients and community.”
In 2013, seven residency training programmes were accredited by the ACGME-I including Diagnostic Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, and Urology.
Seven additional programmes were submitted for accreditation by the ACGME-I in early 2014 and were successfully accredited in December 2014. These programmes include Anaesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, General Surgery and Transitional Year. The accreditation is valid from July 1, 2014 and will remain effective for two years. At the end of the two years, the programmes will again be reviewed by the ACGME-I in order to maintain accreditation.
HMC is the first hospital system in the region and Qatar, and the second country outside the United States after Singapore to achieve institutional accreditation from the ACGME-I. This achievement highlights the fact that HMC meets the highest and most rigorous standards in specialized physician training.
Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, Director of Medical Education and Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Medical Education at HMC, explained the importance ACGME-I accreditation.
“The internationally recognized accreditation of doctors’ training programmes supports HMC’s position as an academic medical center, in line with academic health strategy. Accreditation helps improve the quality and safety of care provided,” said Dr Al Khal.
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