Dr. Hajar Ahmed Hajar Albinali, Advisor of HH the Emir on Public Health and Chairman of HMC Car-diology and Cardiovascular Surgery Department, announced that Hamad Medical Corporation has introduced new technical devices at its CCS Department, this year, achieving substantial progress in diagnosis and treatment of cardiac and cardiovascular patients, pointing out that treatment of coronary artery diseases (CAD) got the lion’s share of the new techniques, where new devices were introduced to measure pressure inside the coronary artery to determine the severity of the case and the need for treatment, such devices include Intra Vascular Ultrasound (IVUS), Rotablator and HELEX, thus maximizing treatment by placing a stent inside the artery and significantly reducing the need for open-heart surgeries.
“During 2006, a total of 1,486 coronary angiographies were performed, and 451 patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD) were successfully treated with stents, while only 178 cases were referred for open-heart surgery” Dr. Hajar emphasized, pointing out that the State of Qatar is keen to keep abreast with all new developments in the field of cardiology, particularly the new treatment practices, techniques and devices.
A stent is a small, lattice-shaped, metal tube that is inserted permanently into an artery, where it helps hold open an artery so that blood can flow through that artery.
This came in the press conference held by Dr. Hajar Ahmed Hajar Albinali, during last June, in the presence of HMC Consultant Cardiologists Dr. Omar Al Tamimi, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Nabit and Dr. Nidal Ahmed Asaad.
Dr. Hajar spotlighted the devices introduced to measure pressure inside the coronary artery, i.e. IVUS, Rotablator and HELEX, explaining that Intra Vascular Ultrasound (IVUS) is used to take pictures from inside the artery and assess severity of the block before placing a stent, where the department earlier used to take images with contrast aniography, which gave pictures only of the shadow of the artery.
Angiography is a procedure that uses a special dye (contrast material) and X-ray to see how blood flows through the heart.
Rotablator functions like a drill to bore through heavy calcification in arteries, which is difficult for or­di­nary wire.
It is estimated that only 5-10%of patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD) may require this technique, which involves Rotablator drilling a hole through the block, pass a wire for opening up the clogged portion of the artery and then placing a stent there.
The HELEX device is used by pediatric cardiologists to close holes between the atria (the case is known as atrial septal defect ASD).
“After successful testing of these devices; we will take necessary arrangements to procure them and get our physicians trained thereon, whereas we have currently 4 competent instructors to train our staff on these sophisticated devices” Dr. Hajar said.

 

Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director of HMC

    The Board of Directors of the Hamad Medical Corporation issued a decision appointing Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari as Managing Director of HMC with effect from 11th July 2007.
HMC’s Board of Directors expres-sed sincere thanks to the outgoing Managing Di­rector, Mr. Turki Mohamed Al Khater, who had been managing the Corporation since December 2003 and lauded the tremendous efforts exerted by him to enhance the per­formance in the Corporation and the development of its staff.
The board further felicitated Dr. Al Kuwari and wished all success in her new mission.
It worth mentioning that Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari holds a PhD. in Health Care Management from Great Britain as well as a master degree in Health Care Management from Swit-zerland and assumed the following posts in HMC:
- Assistant Managing Director for Operations.
- Assistant Administrative Director for Women’s Hospital.
- Assistant Administrative Director, HMC.
Dr. Al Kuwari was, also, appointed member of HMC Board of Directors, then Vice-chairperson of the same Board
 

HMC Introduces New Smart Health Card

A reliable source in the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) re­vealed that the Corporation plans to issue a new Smart Health Card (SHC), fitted with a magnetic chip dubbed (E-Purse), to replace the old one. The new SHC shall directly be issued, at the same renewal fees, upon the renewal of the old Card whereas its validity shall be equivalent to that of the Residence Per­mit for expatriates.
Mr. Hamad Hassan Hilal, Head of Patients’ Accounts and Chairman of the SHC Finance Committee stated that holders of the SHC should always keep sufficient funds in their monetary credit accounts to cover fees for medications, medical files opening or any other therapeutic related services

The new introduces New Smart Health Card

Mr.Hamad Hassan Hilal

He further elaborated that the coupon-based payment system, currently adopted in the Primary Health Care Centers, shall gradually be cancelled, adding that monetary credit surplus is transferable from an expired card to a new one and from the SHC of an in­di­vidual to another, provided that the credit owner is present at the time of such transaction. He stated that monetary credit could be replenished by the cashier at the SHC issuing outlets.
“Applicants for the SHC should present their original National ID Card in addition to one passport size photo, and Non-Qataris should have valid Residence Permit”. Explained Mr. Hilal adding that: “Non-Qataris applicants may request a renewal period exceeding one year provided that their Resident Permit allows, but, the SHC va­lidity period shall by no means exceed the validity period of the Resident Permit”.
 

HMC Hosts Two International Conferences on Newborn Screening Program and Rheumatology

Hamad Medical Corporation is set to organize at the end of current year and beginning of coming year a couple of international medical conferences; one addresses the latest developments in neonatal medicine, while the other spotlights rheumatic diseases. Such in­ter­na­tional events will be held with participation of a large number of experts, professors, researchers, and physicians from Europe, USA and the Arab World, where they will deliver lectures, hold sym­po­si­ums and present research papers on new developments in di­ag­no­sis and treatment in these areas.
The First Qatar International Con-ference on Newborn Screening is scheduled during the period November 2-5, 2007, where it comes as part of HMC’s ambitious drive for rapid pre­ventive and curative intervention to ensure healthy growth of newborns and safeguard new generations against disability and mortality, as far as possible.
The metabolic and endocrine uni-versal newborn screening pro­gram at HMC, which commenced in Decem-ber 2003, offering screening of 32 disorders at international standards, is considered a pio­neering health program region-wide, where the International Newborn Screening Conference will be held for the 1st time in the Middle East, thus testifying to Qatar’s high concern on child health and evi­dencing its human-centred prosperity under the wise leadership of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar.
The event which will be held under the patronage of HH the Emir’s wife, HH Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Misnad, would provide an excellent opportunity for HMC to the out-standingly successful Qatar experience in this field.
The second conference scheduled during the outset of coming year 2008 is the 8th Pan Arab Rheu­ma­tology Conference, which represents a pathfinding event to be held in the Arab Word, where the different aspects of rheumatic diseases in the Arab World will be explored; focusing on clinical, genetic, en­vi­ron­men­tal, and so­cioeco­nomic issues and comparing them to the Western World.