EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Hamad Medical Corporation provides 24-hour ambulance and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for the City of Doha. EMS responds within 8 minutes of the telephone call. EMS brings emergency patients to appropriate emergency facilities after being stabilized at the site. HMC maintains a fleet of 21 emergency ambulances staffed by highly trained EMTs with paramedic backup whenever required. Each EMS ambulance is equipped to handle any medical emergency or trauma. All ambulances have semi-automatic heart monitors/ defibrillators and advanced airway equipment.

HMC EMS also provides inter-facility transport for sick patients throughout the country. The HMC Public Relations Department arranges air transport for patients being sent abroad for treatment. Coordination is made with the airline for the safe transport of such patients. HMC also assigns a medical team when required to provide needed support during the long journey.Access to EMS Communications Center is made through the "999" emergency telephone number. The number "9-9-9" is used to call for the ambulance, police and fire departments.

Non-emergency telephone access to the EMS Communications Center is through 397505.

The EMS Department provides the following services:

Inter-facility transport with vehicles equipped with hydraulic wheel chair lifts. Qualified EMTs are assigned to the units to assure all medical patients receive the best possible care during the transport.Basic Life Support (BLS) including CPR, spinal immobilization, intermediate airway management, oxygen therapy, semi-automatic defibrillation, and trauma management. Senior management currently provides advanced Life Support (ALS) when required. This includes IV therapy, advanced airway management, administration of life-saving medications, EKG recognition and manual defibrillation. Medical Priority Dispatch providing life-saving advice and direction over the phone while waiting for the arrival of the ambulance.

The Ministry of Public Health provides ambulance services outside the City of Doha through its health centers.