Latest news with #CentersofExcellence
Arab Times
05-03-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Kuwait's Maternity Hospital earns international accreditation for excellence in obstetric anesthesia
KUWAIT CITY, March 5: The Intensive Care and Anesthesia Department at the Maternity Hospital, part of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, has been officially accredited as a Center of Excellence in Obstetric Anesthesia by the International Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Maternity Medicine (ISOMAM). This accreditation marks a significant achievement for the department, further solidifying its reputation for providing exceptional care to pregnant women, according to Dr. Fatima Qassim, Head of the Intensive Care and Anesthesia Department. The "prestigious" accreditation, valid for four years, acknowledges the department's outstanding standards in ensuring safe and effective care during childbirth. Dr. Qassim emphasized that this achievement is the result of the Ministry of Health's continuous efforts to enhance the quality of healthcare services in the fields of obstetric anesthesia and maternity medicine, with a commitment to delivering the highest standards in maternal and child healthcare. This accreditation is part of ISOMAM's Centers of Excellence program, which honors institutions and programs that provide superior care in obstetric anesthesia. The program aims to enhance the overall quality of healthcare services for pregnant women. The accreditation process involved a comprehensive evaluation of clinical practices, with the department undergoing a rigorous and transparent review by three independent reviewers from ISOMAM's Centers of Excellence Committee. Following this evaluation, the results were discussed and approved by the Subcommittee. Dr. Qassim highlighted that the Maternity Hospital boasts a team of distinguished national medical professionals, supported by the latest advanced devices and technologies. These resources contribute to offering integrated and safe care to women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. The accreditation serves as both recognition and motivation to continue developing medical services at the hospital, reinforcing its position as a leading center for obstetric anesthesia and maternal intensive care. Dr. Qassim emphasized that this achievement ensures the hospital meets the highest international standards for patient safety and comfort. She expressed her heartfelt thanks to Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi and Undersecretary Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi for their ongoing support and commitment to advancing healthcare services, particularly in the field of obstetric anesthesia and maternal intensive care. Dr. Qassim also extended her sincere gratitude to Dr. Hoda Al-Foudari, Head of the Anesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Management Departments, as well as the department's staff, the Maternity Hospital Administration in the Sabah Specialized Medical District, and all relevant sectors for their dedication and teamwork, which played a crucial role in achieving this prestigious distinction. The International Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Maternity Medicine, founded in 1968, is a global scientific and professional organization dedicated to improving the care of pregnant women and newborns. It supports research, training, and education in the fields of obstetric anesthesia and perinatal medicine, bringing together leading anesthesiologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, and scientists to enhance healthcare quality for mothers and newborns worldwide.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Governor introduces bill on rural health care access, medical residencies
Gov. Kim Reynolds showed a map on the areas of coverage by Iowa's Centers of Excellence program at a news conference Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Gov. Kim Reynolds was joined by health care professionals Tuesday as she highlighted her legislative proposals to tackle workforce shortages and rural access to health care in Iowa. House Study Bill 191 was introduced to the Legislature Monday and is scheduled for a Wednesday subcommittee meeting. The bill would consolidate and increase funding for Iowa's current five student loan repayment programs and increase funding to $10 million as well as opening the incentive to any person, even those trained out-of-state, who commits to practicing in high-demand areas for five years. The bill also directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to work on drawing down than $150 million in federal funding to create a projected 115 new residency slots at teaching hospitals in the state. HHS would work with the University of Iowa and Broadlawns Medical Center to seek the federal funding. Proctor Lureman, CEO of Broadlawns, shared examples of Iowans who did their medical residencies through Broadlawns who decided to stay in the state in fields from family medicine to mental health. He said many who do their residency in Iowa end up staying. 'The stories that I highlighted this morning lean heavily on Iowa roots, though Broadlawns has had many residents that have come from out of state, done their residency here and fallen in love with the state that we all love and now call it home,' Lureman said. 'In summary, yes, the expansion of residency slots increased physician retention, strengthened health care access. And I want to personally thank Governor Reynolds for all of the hundreds of new residency slots that we will have in the coming year.' The state is seeking federal funding to help implement this expansion as the Trump administration, through the U.S. DOGE Service, is seeking to make cuts to federal spending. Reynolds said she felt 'really good' about the chances for approval. 'We're going to make a strong case for it, for approval,' Reynolds said. 'We feel pretty confident — the good news is there are a lot of other states that are already doing this that have taken advantage, and remember — we're sending up state dollars to draw down federal dollars, so we have some skin in the game.' Iowa HHS Director Kelly Garcia said the request to federal officials has yet to be finalized, but that the state is aiming to launch new residencies July 1. The proposal would also make changes that Reynolds said will help support rural health care providers with a focus on OB-GYN services, unbundling Medicaid maternal rates and allocating $642,000 to increase rates for providers serving mothers and infants. Iowa HHS would also be directed to seek federal approval for Medicaid rate flexibility 'with the goal of incentivizing creative regional partnerships,' and to establish a 'hub-and-spoke' funding model for rural health care systems. This approach would be modeled after the existing Centers of Excellence Program, regional providers of specialized health care in rural areas. Reynolds said these changes are seen through the growing number of counties that receive coverage through Centers of Excellence, and that improving regional health care provisions will help address shortages of care in rural areas. 'We're really looking at, where are the gaps?' Reynolds said. 'How can we make this health care system stronger across the state? So we look forward to working on that as well. I truly look forward to working with the House and Senate to pass this important legislation and really sign it into law as quickly as possible.'
