The Emirates Health Services (EHS) announced that Fujairah Hospital has received the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, raising the total number of the EHS's accredited hospitals to 15, with a completion rate of 88.4%.
This global achievement helps maintain the well-deserved leadership of the UAE at the global level in terms of internationally accredited medical facilities.
Also, such award contributes to strengthening the excellence the country's health sector and highlighting its balanced management of business continuity plans, in order to continue providing top-notch healthcare services.
A rigorous assessment process was conducted by the expert team, including field visits to the hospital to assess the health services provided in accordance with the international requirements and standards for the quality of medical services in hospitals, along with another assessment conducted remotely from the USA, using cutting-edge audio-visual devices.
Enhancing efficiency & competitiveness
Congratulating the staff of Fujairah Hospital on this achievement and their commitment to fulfilling the JCI accreditation requirements, HE Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Director-General of the Emirates Health Services, said:
"This global achievement is part of the strategic plan of the wise government to get all hospitals and health centers accredited in 2021, in order to be aligned with the highest international protocols and standards of leadership and innovation.
Al-Serkal added: "This global recognition is yet another testament to the diversity and resilience of the EHS's hospitals in their response to emergencies, thanks to the implementation of an integrated work system and full-fledged strategy at all levels."
The EHS Director-General hinted that the work is underway at an accelerating pace to get Umm Al Quwain and Dibba Al Hisn hospitals accredited before the end of this year, and thus, reaching 100% of the relevant national index.
Best international practices
Dr. Kalthoum Al Baloushi, Director of Hospitals Administration, said: "The accreditation journey was running according to a precise timeline as per the WHO recommendations related to the best international indicators, standards, and practices in the quality field, as well as the application of precautionary measures and the utilization of the latest telemedicine technologies to maintain patient safety and achieve the preventive agenda."
Al Baloushi underlined that the EHS will keep providing state-of-the-art equipment and digital systems, in order to meet the community requirements and make sure the levels of quality will remain the same before and after the accreditation.
Ongoing support
For his part, Ahmed Al Khadim, Director of Fujairah Hospital, commended the ongoing support of the EHS, which spares no effort to provide the hospital with all the medical equipment and qualified and competent cadres, in addition to raising the absorptive capacity of the hospital to fulfill the needs of the community members efficiently and swiftly according to the approved standards.
He added: "Such support has greatly helped the hospital to carry out its plans and programs, embrace innovative solutions, and fulfill the requirements of the international accreditation, which includes the provision of best health services and the application of digital work environment, as well as the achievement of job satisfaction, the utilization of smart services, the attraction of best practices and global expertise, and the provision of an innovation-stimulating environment."
Al Khadim concluded by congratulating the hospital staff on this global achievement, underlining the need to step up efforts in order to maintain the same level of quality of services provided to patients.
JCI standards
The JCI standards include 14 main standards branched out to sub-criteria covering all health services. This includes patient safety, access to hospitals and accident departments, standards for patient assessment and diagnosis, treatment plan development and drug management, standards for patient rights and education, standards of senior management and responsibilities, infection control, quality and continuous improvement, human resources standards, employee evaluation, the safety of health facilities and medical devices, and standards for medical records management and health information.