High Reliability Healthcare Journey

16 September 2022, Dubai: Mediclinic Middle East has signed a contract with Joint Commission International (JCI), a global leader for healthcare patient safety and quality of care, to receive high reliability training. High reliability in healthcare refers to patient care that is consistently excellent and safe over long periods of time across all services and settings. High reliability organisation (HRO) industries include commercial aviation and nuclear power.

The process of becoming a HRO in healthcare involves adopting Robust Process Improvement® (RPI®) methods, a combination of Lean Six Sigma and change management processes, to empower the workforce to achieve zero harm for patients, caregivers and staff. The benefits of high reliability include a positive impact on clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, employee engagement and financial performance.

As part of the collaboration, JCI will provide several workshops to Mediclinic Middle East leadership and staff. The workshops will focus on high reliability behaviours and foundational structures, as well as change management methods and tools. Additionally, once the workshops are completed for all Mediclinic Middle East hospitals, JCI will provide an in-depth, prioritised roadmap and additional strategies to further advance the organisation on its high reliability journey.

“High reliability organisations are entities that achieve and sustain high levels of safety despite high potential for serious harm to occur,” said David Hadley, Chief Executive Officer, Mediclinic Middle East. “With our facilities already accredited by Joint Commission International, Mediclinic is proven to be delivering exceptional standards in this area, however we are committed to providing the safest level of service to our patients with absolutely no exceptions. It is an extremely complex process to become a high reliability organisation, requiring inspirational leadership and behaviour change at all levels, but we are determined to sustain high reliable patient care and be a trusted partner for all our patients’ needs.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with Mediclinic Middle East to help advance its mission toward high reliability,” said Jean Courtney, interim President and Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, JCI. “Its leadership’s commitment to improving patient safety and quality of care throughout the entire organisation is commendable. Joint Commission International looks forward to providing Mediclinic with the education, training and resources needed to help the organisation achieve its high reliability goal to provide consistently excellent and safe care.”

About Mediclinic Middle East

Mediclinic Middle East is part of Mediclinic International plc, a London Stock Exchange (LSE)-listed private healthcare group with three operating divisions in Switzerland, Southern Africa (South Africa and Namibia) and the United Arab Emirates. Mediclinic International also holds a 29.9% interest in Spire Healthcare Group plc, a LSE-listed and UK-based private healthcare group.

The foundation of Mediclinic International lies in the application of rigorous science to improve the lives of patients, through the use of state-of-the-art treatments and technologies to care for patients in an evidence-based environment.

Mediclinic Middle East operates seven hospitals and 24 clinics with over 950 inpatient beds in the United Arab Emirates.

About JCI

JCI, an independent, not-for-profit organisation, accredits and certifies more than 1,000 healthcare organisations and programs around the globe.