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Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) recorded 447,782 visits to its health centres in August, reflecting continued demand for a wide range of primary healthcare services across Qatar.
The latest figures issued by PHCC yesterday show an increase of 67,145 visits, or around 17.6 percent, compared with the 380,637 patient visits recorded in July.
Family Medicine Clinics accounted for the largest share of visits in August, registering 246,137 consultations, compared with 209,810 in July. PHCC operates Family Medicine Clinics across all 31 health centres in Qatar, with the Family Medicine Model forming a core component of primary healthcare services.
The integrated model is designed to help patients manage their health more effectively, promote independence and wellbeing, and reduce the need for hospital admission or referral to secondary care where appropriate.
Dental Services Clinics recorded 35,626 visits in August, up from 26,877 in July, while Well-Baby Clinics recorded 16,050 visits, compared with 14,591 in July.
The Well-Baby Clinics provide free routine health check-ups, developmental and growth monitoring, and mandatory vaccinations for registered children from birth to five years of age.
Maternal Health Clinics recorded 7,478 visits in August.
PHCC also continued to provide virtual and telephone-based healthcare services. A total of 14,263 people accessed virtual services through the 16000 call centre, compared with 13,329 in July.
Telephone consultations at PHCC headquarters and through its telephone consultation services reached 33,586 in August, up from 29,824 consultations in July.
Through the 16000 service, patients can access telephone or video consultations with physicians from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week, while ophthalmology consultations are available on weekdays.
During the overnight period from 11pm to 7am, a nurse-led telephone triage service assesses patients and directs them to the most appropriate healthcare service, including PHCC’s 24-hour Urgent Care facilities when required.
The increase in service utilisation in August comes across several areas of primary healthcare, with family medicine, dental, maternal and child health services all recording higher numbers than in July.
