800 HMC doctors complete key 12-day training course

More than 800 Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) physicians have completed a 12-day training course on various methods of Comprehensive Physician evaluation pursuant to the standards laid down by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International LLC (ACGME-I), the HMC said Wednesday. Associate Professor and Director of International Affairs at the Department of Medical Education, University of Illinois Professor Ara Tekian hosted the course organized by HMC's Medical Education Department. The HMC is seeking to become the first medical corporation in the Middle East to acquire ACGME accreditation as a specialized medical education center in accordance with United States' standards. HMC Medical Education Director Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal said the course was held as part of medical education programmes to raise the clinical and medical performance at HMC's general and specialized hospitals. The course covered many topics such as methods of physician performance evaluation, development of physicians’ clinical skills and improving communication skills, he added. Professor Tekian lauded the advanced medical education system in place at HMC and said the process of ACGME-I accreditation would further enhance the already rigorous processes the Corporation has brought into effect. "According to the standards set up by the ACGME-I, the medical performance assessment is conducted through four principal axis. This starts starting with the comprehensive evaluation, dubbed '360-Degree Assessment'; immediate performance supervision method; review and ensuring proper procedures in dealing with patient's health and documentation of these procedures and finally review of the doctor's current and future comprehensive data," said Professor Tekian.