Sharjah24: Dr Yousif Al Serkal, Director General of the Emirates Health Services (EHS), has recently visited the Sharjah-based Family Health Promotion Center and Fujairah Hospital as part of his regular field inspection visits to health facilities.

The inspection tours aimed to check on the efficiency of healthcare services being offered by these facilities, support the ongoing efforts made by the medical, technical and administrative team, strengthen communication channels with customers and patients, and closely follow up on the health facilities’ performance, to ensure the provision of the best health care services and further develop these facilities.

The field visits came as part of the EHS’s keenness to follow up on the needs and requirements of medical facilities to help provide the UAE people and residents with excellent health care services.
During his tours, Al Serkal learned about the implementation process of plans and programs developed to provide patients and visitors with easy and fast access to quality healthcare services. 
He stressed the importance of adopting the best medical and therapeutic protocols and clinical quality, governance and innovation standards to enhance the UAE’s health facilities competitive position worldwide and highlight the confidence in the UAE’s ability to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic and preserve the health sector gains. 

Family Health Promotion Center 
Al Serkal began his tour with a visit to the Family Health Promotion Center in Sharjah accompanied by Dr. Aisha Suhail, Director of the Primary Health Care Department, where they toured the centre’s various facilities including the general clinics and the “Itmenan" department, and was briefed about the progress of work by medical and administrative staff. 
He lauded the team’s efforts being made to upgrade the centre and the diversify health services provided in addition to the well-organised manner of receiving visitors and patients and processing their transactions. 

“Field visits are one of the most important channels for direct communication with patients and customers to share their suggestions and opinions and engage them in the development process to help improve performance and provide distinguished services in accordance with quality and efficiency standards,” Al Serkal said.

Fujairah Hospital
The next stop was at Fujairah Hospital where he was briefed about the work progress in different departments and learned about the efficiency of health services provided to patients in emergency, outpatient and inpatient clinics, the daily work strategy of receiving, examining and diagnosing cases, and the integration of the roles of medical teams that work around the clock to improve the level of health care and accelerate its pace, and how the hospital provides Covid-19 tests and vaccines. 

The EHS director general was accompanied by Dr. Mohammad Abdullah bin Saeed, Director of Fujairah Medical Zone, and Dr. Kalthoum Al Balushi, Director of the Hospitals Department.
During the visit, Al Serkal was briefed by the hospital management about the ongoing preparations for obtaining the international accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI)according to a timeframe, and the hospital’s needs to match international quality standards.

He commended the relentless work being made by the medical and administrative team to deliver quality health care services and maintain the health and safety of people, stressing the importance of conducting the necessary periodic checks for medical staff. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the first line of defence, who provided inspiring examples of giving and sacrifice.

Digital health infrastructure 
Al Serkal emphasised that the UAE leadership spares no effort to provide qualified medical personnel, infrastructure, equipment and medical supplies in accordance with the highest standards and practices of quality and safety, in order to be fully ready to deal with any emergency developments. 

He stated that the EHS will press ahead with its strategy to develop its medical facilities according to the international standards and specifications and upgrade the results of national health indicators and enhance the UAE heath facilities’ competitiveness among the most prestigious health institutions. 

To that end, the establishment will do its utmost to strengthen the digital health infrastructure in the county, attract medical innovations to improve health care methods, and adopt a proactive healthcare model in diagnostic methods, improve the patient journey and integrate smart services and artificial intelligence with health care, he said.