Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Heart Hospital (HH) has made history as the world’s first specialist cardiology hospital to earn Planetree Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care. This certification, at silver level, recognizes HH’s achievement and innovation in the delivery of person-centered care. HH is one of 40 organizations worldwide to be Certified for Excellence in Person-Centered Care at the silver level.
HH is the only tertiary cardiac center in the State of Qatar offering comprehensive cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery care. The hospital provides a unique range of cardiology services including interventional cardiology, non-invasive cardiology, heart failure management, cardiac intensive care, emergency cardiac care, cardiac ambulatory care and cardiac rehabilitation. In 2025, the cardiothoracic surgery department successfully completed the first heart transplant surgery in Qatar.
HH’s successful certification follows previous Planetree certification achieved by multiple HMC hospitals and services: the Ambulatory Care Center, Communicable Disease Center, Women’s Wellness and Research Center, Home Healthcare Service, Enaya and Daam Specialized Care Centers, and the Private Nursing Service.
The silver certification for HH reinforces HMC’s mission to deliver person-centered care that honors the needs, values and choices of patients, families and staff, ensuring that every patient experience is compassionate, meaningful and empowering. The certification criteria addressed components of a person-centered healthcare experience, including the quality of patient-provider interactions, access to information, family involvement and the physical environment of care. Importantly, the criteria also focus on how the organization supports staff, opportunities for staff, patients and families to have a voice in the way care is delivered, and the ways that HH is reaching beyond its walls to care for its community.
The certification process included a site visit assessment by representatives from Planetree during which they held discussions with patients, families and current staff, validating that specific person-centered policies are in place. The process also included a review of the organization’s performance on patient experience and quality of care measures, and how measurement of these indicators improves organizational outcomes.
Planetree is a not-for-profit healthcare organization that sets the global benchmark for person-centered excellence across the full continuum of care. Planetree works with partners to deliver a leading, evidence-based framework that helps co-design a clear roadmap for stronger patient and family engagement, improved clinical outcomes, enhanced staff retention and recruitment and higher-value care
