Though the turbulence in the global financial markets have adversely affected the larger economies, the situation does not constitute enough additional stress in healthcare that at least some of the presumably rock solid healthcare institutions will begin to fray. In Saudi Arabia, the healthcare sector remains healthy despite the tumultuous confusions and rumblings brought about by the worsening credit crisis that continuously pummels the financial systems worldwide. Dr. Mazen Fakeeh, director general and chairman of the Executive Committee in Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital (DSFH), said at a press conference on Thursday that the “global financial crisis does not affect the present healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia. It remains healthy despite the psychological impact on the economy in general, as healthcare is not a luxury.” He pointed out that healthcare “being a necessity, can withstand the crisis.” Mazen ruled out immediate effect on the sector, noting that the “healthcare sector is resilient. It can overcome the psychological fears prevailing in the financial markets.” Brian Johnston, chief executive officer of the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS), concurred in Mazen's observation, adding that the present Saudi healthcare system is robust, with the government giving priority and all-out support to the sector. Richard di Benedetto, president and CEO, GE Healthcare International, EAGM region, told Saudi Gazette earlier that the Kingdom invests significantly in medical services and equipment. “Medical services in Saudi Arabia have evolved tremendously over the years and today offer world-class treatment through international-quality hospitals led by professionals. This evolution has been brought about through the concerted efforts of the government, whereby residents can meet their healthcare needs within the country itself cost-effectively.” Moreover, no less than the Saudi Arabian central bank assured that the financial sector of the world's largest oil exporter faced no shortage in liquidity, bank deposits were safe and economic growth sound. Being so, the Kingdom's healthcare sector will remain scot-free. Prior to the press conference, a ceremony was held at the Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital premises to officially confer on the hospital the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards International accreditation. DSFH has become the first private hospital in the Western Region to receive the prestigious ACHSI recognition. The accreditation demonstrates DSFH's continuous efforts to further enhance the quality of healthcare services. ACHS standards and program are accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). ACHSI standards are unique as such as they have no geographical boundaries, which means that ACHSI standards are uniformly applied regardless of where ACHSI operates. Johnston said ACHSI is proven to be very flexible, adopted readily to different cultural environments, Australia being multicultural. For consumers/patients, accreditation is basically an issue of trust. People who use health services want to have confidence that those services are safe and will provide consistent high quality care. People understand that there are risks associated with using the health system, but they want those risks minimized, ACHSI said. Accreditation also instilled confidence in patients to seek medical care in hospitals like DSFH because insurance companies are ready to cover all the risks if the hospitals meet documentation standards, Mazen emphasized. Since the healthcare sector is constantly changing “with more challenges ahead,” ACHSI standards have a four-year cycle, after which they have to be changed “to keep the standard all the time, “ Johnston said. It is in a constant process of searching and identifying new ways to further improve the standards based on the scientific inquiries, hence it is in a relentless process of looking for advancement to equip the healthcare practitioners of the necessary and required tools and services for the betterment of patients. As healthcare industry is constantly changing with more challenges ahead, therefore accreditation does not address all the concerned issues. For that matter, new evolving developments need new approaches, new technology, new innovation, Johnston further said. To address the challenge, ACHSI, composed of medical professionals in Australia, is in regular consultations and interactions with the international counterparts to explore findings and advances in the medical field that would further bolster the quality of healthcare services. The accreditation event on Thursday coincided with the quality and risk management week for international patient safety goals which is in line with DSFH's vision of always achieving international standards and offering quality healthcare services. ACHS International consultants are also available to assist countries in the development of their own accreditation and quality improvement programs. ACHSI has expertise in the development of both indicators and comparative reporting services, including strategic performance analysis (SPA) reports to assist in planning for groups of hospitals and corporations. “In many respects DSFH has set a trend in Jeddah and in the region. The awareness of quality in healthcare has been steadily increasing all over the countries hospitals,” Mazen said.ACHSI standards treasure interaction with patients and their families and the accreditation boosts DSFH's ultimate goal of fostering patient care and safety, Mazen noted. The standards of ACHSI has a four-year cycle, after which it has to be changed “to keep standard all the time”. It is in a constant process of searching and identifying new ways to further improve the standards based on the scientific inquiries, hence it is in a constant process of looking for advancement to equip the healthcare practitioners of the necessary and required tools and services for the betterment of patients. __
