Press Release July, 8 2008

SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY ACHIEVES ACCREDITATION FROM JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL

Abu Dhabi, UAE: 08 July, 2008 – Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) under the management of Cleveland Clinic has earned accreditation from Joint Commission International (JCI) for its Medical Pavilion, Surgical Pavilion, and the Outpatient Speciality Clinics. JCI is recognized to be a worldwide leader for the improvement of quality in health care.

Joint Commission International’s on-site evaluation of SKMC occurred on 6-10 April 2008 and was conducted by a team of international health care experts, including a doctor, nurse, and administrator.

SEHA Managing Director, Saif Al Qubaisi stated that, “The accreditation process has played a vital role in monitoring health services delivery at our hospitals”. He emphasized that accreditation status granted from the JCI ensures that SKMC is consistently delivering the highest standards of quality services and has attained a high level of patient satisfaction. “This is in keeping with our mission to deliver world class healthcare to our patients and our vision to be compared with the best hospitals internationally.  SKMC is the fourth of our hospitals to earn JCI accreditation. We are very proud and would like to congratulate the employees at SKMC whose hard work and dedication to excellence helped achieve this honour”, Mr Al Qubaisi commented.

Dr. Scott Strong, Acting Chief Executive Officer at SKMC, believes that SKMC achieved JCI accreditation because of the on-going commitment of many professional groups. Their collective and collaborative effort ensures that the delivery of care to SKMC patients is of the highest standard.

The management of SKMC was pleased to receive the accreditation status for the Sheikh Khalifa Medical Pavilion, Surgical Pavilion, and Outpatient Specialty Clinics, which are part of the larger Sheikh Khalifa Medical City that includes the Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center, Behavioral Sciences Pavilion, and Primary Health Care Centers on the Island of Abu Dhabi. Dr Strong emphasized the value of the accreditation process for the organization. “This form of self-assessment in an organization provides us with an opportunity to appraise our performance against internationally developed standards. The process also allows for an external reviewer to validate our performance and recognize our areas of excellence as well as areas of improvement as we move forward in our planning.  The surveyors met and interviewed the Senior Administration and Management of the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City as well as the medical care and supporting committees. Moreover, JCI interviewed patients and their families who were asked about their understanding of the received care, their feelings about the quality of care/service, and their level of understanding of their role in the care and treatment process.”

He further offered that the management of SKMC was pleased with the feedback received from the surveyors about the satisfaction of the patients and their families who were treated at the Medical City. “It emphasized that our organization is culturally sensitive and patient-centered. Fulfillment of our desire for clinical excellence and exceptional patient care was evidenced by positive patient feedback and outcomes that were measured against international standards”, Dr Strong stated.

 “Health care organizations around the world want to create environments that focus on quality, safety and continuous improvement,” says Karen Timmons, chief executive officer, Joint Commission International. “Accreditation meets this demand by stimulating continuous, systematic improvements in an organization’s performance and the outcomes of patient care. The community should be proud that SKMC has made a commitment to quality and safety.”

Joint Commission International is dedicated to improving the quality of health care through voluntary accreditation. Joint Commission International’s uniform, high standards for patient care and safety are designed to be adaptable to local needs, thus accommodating legal, religious and cultural factors within a country.

Standards focus on the areas that most directly impact patient care. These include access to care, assessment of patients, infection control, patient and family rights, and education. Standards also address facility management and safety, staff qualifications, quality improvement, organizational leadership, and management of information.

About SKMC

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, operates under the management of Cleveland Clinic, named one of the top three hospitals in the USA by U.S. News and World Report. SKMC is owned by SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, recently established to oversee operations of all public hospitals in the Emirate.  It is the flagship institution for the public health system in Abu Dhabi and has several 'Centers of Excellence,' and aspires to practice contemporary medicine comparable to the best hospitals and medical centers in the world. SKMC provides comprehensive health care services in all of the disciplines relevant to the needs and priorities of the community to attain the highest levels of patient satisfaction.

SKMC consists of a 550-bed Acute Care Hospital, a 120-bed Behavior Sciences Pavilion and the 90-bed Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center, in addition to more than 12 specialized outpatient clinics and ten primary healthcare centers around the city of Abu Dhabi. 

About SEHA

SEHA is health in Arabic.  The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company – whose corporate identity is SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to manage and develop the curative activities of the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.  SEHA is committed to providing quality, cost effective healthcare on par with international standards measured through accessibility, affordability, choice and satisfaction.  SEHA manages 8 hospital systems totaling 14 facilities, 2,472 licensed beds, more than 55 Primary Health Clinics and 14,350 employees. 

About JCI

The mission of Joint Commission International is to continuously improve the safety and quality of care in the international community through the provision of education and consultation services and international accreditation.

Joint Commission International (JCI) is a division of Joint Commission Resources (JCR), the not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission. For more than 50 years, The Joint Commission and its predecessor organization have been dedicated to improving the quality and safety of health care services. Today the largest accreditor of health care organizations in the United States, the Joint Commission surveys nearly 20,000 health care programs through a voluntary accreditation process.

The Joint Commission and its affiliate are both not-for-profit organizations.