The First Specialized Hospitals and Centers Forum, organized by the Directorate General for Specialized Medical Care (DGSMC), was inaugurated today (Wednesday) under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi, Minister of Health at the Crown Plaza hotel.

Around 100 participants from the different medical and specialized categories, as well as directorates general in the Governorates, and hospitals directors took part in the forum.

The program agenda included a speech of the DGSMC Dr. Kadhim Jafar Suleiman where he underlined the objectives of the forum. Dr. Suleiman pointed out that the forum aims at highlighting the role of hospitals in elevating the competency of the provided health services for all the Sultanate’s residents, focusing on the hospitals’ initiatives that contributed in the specialized medical services progression. Furthermore, Dr. Khadim emphasized that since its establishment, the DGSMC has strived to develop the provided services at the Governorates’ hospitals and upgrading the competency to render the maximum specialized medical services and reduce transferring to the tertiary hospitals in Muscat. The Director General remarked that during the forum, a number of 12 initiatives out of 35 summited initiatives would be presented. 

Following the opening, the 12 initiatives were presented. The initiatives were namely discharging patient with breathing aids to homecare – Respiratory Care section at the DGSMC, developing Day-care services at Sohar hospital, minor operations (retina injection) in Al Nahdha hospital, Integration of clinics between Ibra hospital and Ibra Polyclinic, as well as  Department of Blood Banks Services initiative for Competency & Safety of Laboratory tests at Blood Banks, Using IPad at Diabetes Clinic in Samail hospital, Community mental health’s Al Masarah hospital, Nizwa hospital’s initiative of Outpatient clinics’ appointment arrangement , dry needles services in Physiotherapy at Bahla hospital, Early emergency system at Khoulah hospital, and Electronic management of medical inventory- Laboratories section at the DGSMC.

The patron of the event honored the selected initiatives along with the pensioners who contributed in the advancement of specialized medical care.

the forum aimed at identifying core achievements of the DHSMC that have had a positive impact on advancing level of specialized medical services in the Sultanate. In addition, it underlined achievements and initiatives made by all the tertiary and referral hospitals as well as the specialized centers consequently other hospitals can utilize and apply these initiatives with the purpose of exchanging experiences among MOH establishments and identifying challenges and obstacles encountering hospitals in the delivery of specialized services.  

The forum also presented state-of-art medical technology employed in some of medical fields, which were introduced in MOH hospitals. Moreover, the forum highlighted the role and contribution of private sector in the process of developing the specialized medical services.