Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Doha, Qatar has made significant improvements to the outpatient appointment scheduling and managing process. Patients can now upload their referral from private facilities through the Nesma’ak Patient Portal on the HMC website. The referral will then be processed by the booking management team and a suitable appointment will be scheduled based on availability and clinical guidelines. Patients will receive a notification through SMS once the appointment is confirmed. Electronic referrals from the Primary Health Care Corporation are directly sent to HMC and processed automatically. For any changes or cancellations, patients can contact the Nesma’ak hotline available 24×7.
HMC’s new appointment and referral system aims to ensure that patients receive the appropriate healthcare services in a timely manner. The system is now in operation across the network of hospitals, as stated on the HMC website. The system has proven to be efficient, with the April activity report showing 208,688 outpatient appointments recorded and 109,939 incoming and outgoing calls received by Nesma’ak. The Center for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement (CPESE) at HMC introduced system changes to the Referral and Booking Management System in 2022, resulting in tangible improvements for patients.
The improvements to the appointment booking system have resulted in a more efficient and seamless experience for patients. The system now includes e-triage and enhanced patient access to healthcare services, ensuring that patients receive their initial appointments within a seven-day timeframe following referral. HMC has seen a significant increase in the number of patients receiving timely appointments, with figures rising from 3,315 in February 2022 to 10,723 in January 2024, representing a 224% increase. The number of patients with pending referrals has also seen a significant decrease from 93,109 in October 2022 to 27,754 in January 2024, a 70% reduction.
There has been a 25% reduction in the referral-to-seen wait time for new patients between January 2022 and March 2024, indicative of the positive impact of the changes made to the appointment booking system at HMC. Patients can expect a more streamlined process for scheduling appointments and managing referrals, ensuring that they receive timely and appropriate healthcare services. The improvements made by HMC have resulted in a more efficient system that benefits both patients and healthcare providers, ultimately enhancing the overall patient experience at HMC.
