Quality Takes the Spotlight at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City

‘Healthcare Quality Week’ Celebrations to Culminate in the First International Nursing Safety and Quality Conference – 25 October

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), managed by Cleveland Clinic, is putting quality in healthcare under the spotlight for a week, as it launches its ‘Healthcare Quality Week’ from 19 to 25 October.

Throughout the week, SKMC is aiming to raise awareness of safety and quality among SKMC staff and the community, set the foundation for future patient safety and quality culture in the hospital, and describe world-class, best-evidenced practice followed at the flagship Abu Dhabi facility.

“Knowledge and experience on improving the safe delivery of quality care has been steadily evolving 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 used to improve patient outcomes,” said Tarey Ray, Chief Nursing Officer at SKMC.

“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 direction of SKMC to provide world class health care across the continuum,” added Safa Al Mustafa, SKMC’s Deputy Chief Nursing Officer.

From 19 to 23 October, SKMC will hold events both internally and externally on the importance of quality in healthcare that provides educational material and updates, recognises caregivers who have made outstanding quality contributions, and community outreach activities at Mushrif Mall including free health checkups for the public.

The week-long series of events will culminate in SKMC’s first International Nursing Safety and Quality conference, to be held at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotel on 25 October.

More than 400 healthcare professionals from across the region will take part, to discuss and exchange knowledge on how to build a platform for practice sustainability, one of the biggest problems facing healthcare today.

“Sustaining any type of performance improvement is critical to patient safety and quality care. Often our apparent improvements lose momentum, staff slips back into old habits, and data starts to trend downward. There are many challenges for our hospitals and staff today. In an environment where there is a shortage of professionals, system complexity, and increasing patient acuity, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn from and showcase quality innovation among healthcare professionals and organisations,” Ray added.

SKMC is part of the SEHA Health System and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.