‘Healthcare Quality Week' Celebrated at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City

SKMC’s goal is to provide world class, quality healthcare: Chief Nursing Officer

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), managed by Cleveland Clinic, is putting quality in the spotlight, as it launches its ‘Healthcare Quality Week’ from 18 to 22 October.

Throughout the week, SKMC is raising awareness of safety and quality to SKMC employees as well as the community. To improve team work in SKMC, the facility has announced and has begun to implement TeamSTEPPS to set the foundation for future patient safety and quality culture in the hospital, as well as to describe the world-class, evidenced based practice followed at the flagship Abu Dhabi facility.

TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) is an evidence-based set of teamwork tools, aimed at optimizing patient outcomes by improving communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals.

“Quality week is a practical step in walking the talk of quality and safety. The five day program engages the caregivers in key aspects to optimise communication, team spirit and reliable safety culture. It is one step in SKMC’s quality journey, said Dr. Samer Ellahham, Chief Quality Officer at SKMC.

“Knowledge and experience on improving the safe delivery of quality care has been steadily increasing over the last few decades, but without a true understanding of what is meant by ‘quality’, it is impossible to design the interventions and measures to improve patient outcomes,” said Safa Al Mustafa, Chief Nursing Officer.

“Our main concern is to ensure that the services we provide are of the highest possible standard, and this activity is strongly aligned with the strategic plan and overall goal of SKMC to provide world class health care across the continuum through partnering with patients and enhancing team strategies”, she added.

From 18 to 22 October, SKMC held events, both internally and externally highlighting quality that provide educational material and updates, and recognize caregivers who have made outstanding quality contributions.

“Sustaining any type of performance improvement is critical to patient safety and quality care. Often our initiatives lose momentum, staff slip back into old habits, and outcomes decline. There are many challenges for our hospitals and staff today, and there is always opportunity to learn and showcase quality innovation among healthcare professionals and organizations,” al Mustafa added.

SKMC is a SEHA HealthSystem facility and is managed by Cleveland Clinic.