Doha
1st May 2017

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) recently hosted the second Qatar International Pain Conference (QIPC) bringing together a first-class international faculty comprising 250 participants from Qatar and the region.

The goal of the event, organized by HMC’s Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Perioperative Medicine in collaboration with the prestigious European Society of Regional Anesthesia (ESRA), was to share the latest knowledge about modern-day pain management. The event was attended by pain specialists, general physicians, medical students, and delegates from academic, government and private institutions within Qatar and the region.

“The main focus of the second QIPC conference is the contribution of acute pain and regional anesthesia in treating and preventing pain. This is in line with HMC’s aim of becoming an academic health system. We organized a high-standard event featuring local and international experts,” said Professor Marco A E Marcus, Sponsor and Chairman of HMC’s Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Perioperative Medicine.

He said besides promoting collaboration among healthcare professionals across the region and beyond, the conference provided an opportunity to celebrate the growth of HMC’s Pain Unit, a bustling environment that integrates state-of-the-art pain therapy with research and teaching.

“Having a specialized pain management service is important in reducing the patient’s length of stay in the hospital and improving their overall hospital experience. In recent years, pain therapy has transitioned to an evidence-based practice as hospitals around the world have started examining what it means to provide quality care for their patients, both in terms of medical care and hospital-based patient experience and satisfaction,” added Professor Marcus.

Dr. Nicholas Scott, Conference Chairman and Vice Chairman of HMC’s Department of Anesthesiology, ICU and Perioperative Medicine said: “Our Department is rapidly converting from a service department into an academic one. It is our goal to establish and maintain the highest possible level of care and performance for patients. Conducting activities such as this conference helps us to advance the quality of our research and provide the best evidence-based care for patients living with pain.”

In addition to hosting the conference, the ESRA recently chose Qatar as one of its centers for the prestigious European Diploma in Regional Anesthesia (EDRA) examination. This honor further solidifies HMC’s commitment to being at the forefront of pain management and anesthesia in the region.