The Deputy of Planning and Development and CBAHI- Board Chairman, Dr. Mohammad Bin Hamza Khoshaim, said that the support provided by the government to the Ministry of Health will enable it to establish new hospitals within the coming four or five years. The ministry has approved the building of 121 new hospitals in various regions of the Kingdom. The 66 hospitals currently operating will be updated using an allocation of SR 4 billion to improve their infrastructures and operations.
He said that the MOH was ordered to purchase the most up-to-date and high-quality equipment to avoid quality issues in healthcare facilities. All hospitals around the world are based on four main pillars: first of all, the buildings should be well-integrated. Secondly, the facility has to be fully equipped in order to operate efficiently and to provide proper treatment. Thirdly, the employees must acquire enough knowledge and understanding to perform their duties. Finally, a system must be in place to manage all of these aspects.
Dr. Khoshaim pointed out that if any problems arises, we will be responsible for them. Due to the great support provided to us by our Leadership, we are facing a huge challenge to be up to the responsibility given to us. We recognize the importance of our staff to the success of the Ministry's mission, and are committed to seeing that all levels of staff are trained and placed effectively.
Quality assurance programs should be applied in all health services starting with employees, aiming to enhance the level of staff and high-tech quality services in a scientific and practical way.
The backbone of every hospital is its laboratory; all lab facilities must be continuously improved and developed. In addition to the National Center for Research, we are currently establishing a national center at north of Riyadh to support scientific research and advanced disease diagnosis.
These statements were made during the opening of the annual meeting of qualitative quality programs coordinators and other personnel in Riyadh. The meeting opened with the reading of verses from the Quran. General Director of Blood Banks and Laboratories, Dr. Ibrahim Al Omar, then spoke about the General Department of Blood Banks and Laboratories and its advances quality control for services provided by MOH hospitals. This can be done by implementing External Quality Assessment Programs in medical laboratories using external standard samples. He indicated that the start in 2005 was very modest; six laboratories participated from various regions of the Kingdom. By 2006, the number of participants had reached nine laboratories. In 2009, there were 61 participating labs; today, there are about 166 laboratories participating in a variety of external quality assessment programs.
Dr. Al Omar went on to state that this year’s medical laboratory participants include a number of specialties.
Clinical Biochemistry Departments are using three programs with about 155 participants. There are about 71 participants in the Hormonal Indicators Departments program. Blood Clotting Testing Departments have about 30 participants, while Hematology Departments have 75. About three Immunity Department laboratories also participated.
Since first being implemented in medical laboratories, these programs have distinguished themselves by improving the concept of quality performance. They have also created healthy competition among the MOH’s laboratories and employees to pass external quality standards. In addition, the programs have updated the principles of quality in medical laboratories, creating better results for patients while also helping the Ministry of Health to achieve its strategic goals.
The positive results achieved from these programs prompted the Laboratories and Blood Banks General Department to set a development plan for applying quality control systems in other sections in labs, leading to the inclusion of entire laboratory operations. Laboratories for the Ministry of Health will be included in international medical laboratory recognition programs such as CAP, following the accreditation of the Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions.
Dr. Al Omar thanked Dr. Khoshaim and the corporate sponsors for supporting the meeting. Dr. Khoshaim then handed out certificates of participation to all laboratories that participated in (EQA) Programs during the year 2010.
In addition, He also honored the top three (EQA) Programs coordinators among the twenty in attendance. The three honorees were Manal Mohamed Al Wabel, Department of Blood Banks and Laboratories (EQA) Programs coordinator in the Eastern region, Abdulrahman Abdou Haddadi, Department of Blood Banks and Laboratories (EQA) Programs coordinator in Jazan, and Najib Osman Hussain, Department of Blood Banks and Laboratories (EQA) Programs coordinator in Makkah. Another award was given to the Blood Clotting Program, which now has 30 participating labs. The top five in this program are: King Abdul Aziz Hospital & Oncology center in Jeddah, the Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank in the Eastern region, the laboratory of King Fahd Hospital in Medina, the laboratory of Prince Salman Hospital in Riyadh region, and the laboratory of the Maternity and Children Hospital in Makkah.
Dr. Khoshaim also honored the Hormonal Program, where the number of participants has reached 71 laboratories. The top five in this program are Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank in Riyadh, King Abdullah Hospital Laboratory in Bisha, Dawadmi Hospital Laboratory in Riyadh, King Saud Hospital laboratory in Qassim and the Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank in the Eastern province.
Dr. Khoshaim then honored the biochemistry program, where the number of program participants has reached 155 laboratories. The top ten in this program are Dawadmi Hospital Laboratory in Riyadh, Dammam Medical Tower in the Eastern region, Hira Hospital Laboratory in Makkah, the Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank in Riyadh, King Abdullah Hospital Laboratory in Bisha, Al Ansar Hospital Laboratory in Medina, Maternity Hospitals Laboratory in Hail, Al Yamamah Hospital Laboratory in Riyadh, King Khalid Hospital Laboratory in Majma'ah, Prince Salman Kidney Disease Center Laboratory in Riyadh, and King Saud Medical City Laboratory in Riyadh. Finally, he honored the sponsoring corporations.
At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Al Omar presented Dr. Khoshaim with a memorial plaque to thank him for his sponsorship.