The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) has named Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), part of PureHealth, as a centre of excellence (CoE) for burn treatments, underscoring DoH’s commitment to elevating healthcare services across various specialities in the emirate.
The SSMC Burn Treatments CoE will provide all members of the community in Abu Dhabi with access to comprehensive, compassionate and exceptional burn care. It will serve as the main destination for burn patients in Abu Dhabi who seek consultations, treatment, and intensive care throughout their treatment journey. It will also consolidate expertise, resources, and innovation in burn care to improve patient outcomes.
SSMC received the Centre of Excellence Shield during a ceremony held at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, in the presence of Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH, Rashed Saif Al Qubaisi, Group Chief Operating Officer of PureHealth and Dr Marwan Al Kaabi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of SSMC, where SSMC was awarded the CoE plaque.
Through its National Burns Centre CoE, SSMC offers the highest standards of burn care through a specialised multidisciplinary approach, advanced treatment modalities, cutting-edge research, and community outreach programmes. It provides patients with access to a wide range of treatment options and quality care in the field of burn management. Their state-of-the-art facility features 20 ICU beds with a dedicated operating room, internationally recognised burn surgeons, and a multidisciplinary team specialising in every aspect of burn care, from emergency response to rehabilitation.
Her Excellency Dr Noura Al Ghaithi said: "The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi is delighted to designate Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City’s National Burn Centre as a centre of excellence for burn treatments, reflecting the department’s ongoing commitment to improving Abu Dhabi's healthcare outcomes and providing world-class services to all members of the community, both locally and globally. Being designated as a CoE enables healthcare facilities like SSMC to continuously improve, grow and excel while being recognised for their exceptional efforts in providing quality care to patients and community members. Reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for healthcare, we applaud our partners across the sector for their ongoing contribution and excellence in improving lives."
Rashed Saif Al Qubaisi said: "We are honoured by the designation of Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City as a centre of excellence for burn treatments. This recognition epitomises our overarching vision of fostering longevity and delivering unparalleled excellence in healthcare services. Through our subsidiary SSMC, we are committed to enhancing the wellbeing of our community by providing state-of-the-art facilities and a multidisciplinary team dedicated to exceptional patient care. This achievement not only underscores our strategic objectives but also reinforces our unwavering dedication to advancing healthcare standards and positively transforming lives, in alignment with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi’s mission."
SSMC leverages cutting-edge technologies like allograft skin and biodegradable temporising matrix (BTM) to provide the most effective treatment options for burn patients. Through BTM, surgeons can surgically remove damaged tissue and dead skin while stimulating the body to form new blood vessels and produce collagen. Furthermore, they actively contribute to elevating burn care standards in Abu Dhabi through the development of burn care standards and protocols, as well as partaking in strategic research initiatives.
The facility’s commitment extends beyond the walls of the hospital, as SSMC offers a comprehensive educational outreach programme, alongside burn prevention and awareness campaigns, accredited continuing medical education programmes, and advanced burn care training courses.
Dr Marwan Al Kaabi said: "We are pleased with this achievement, which affirms our steadfast commitment to advancing healthcare standards in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The SSMC Burns Centre boasts advanced facilities and infrastructure, a team of multidisciplinary experts, and the provision of the latest effective treatments for severe and complex burns using advanced techniques in skin grafting and membrane restoration. Additionally, the supportive and affiliated services at the Burns Centre enhance patient health through follow-up and rehabilitation, qualifying the Burns Centre to provide exceptional healthcare for burn patients.
"The accreditation of Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City as a centre of excellence in burn treatments ensures that complex burn cases in Abu Dhabi and beyond have access to specialised and comprehensive healthcare services in accordance with the highest standards of excellence, supported by clinical research and education."
CoEs are healthcare facilities that are designated by DoH to provide specialised programmes in particular medical areas, in line with best practices and the highest quality standards. CoE's stand out for their world-class infrastructure, highly skilled and internationally accredited workforce, multidisciplinary resources, cutting-edge technologies and latest healthcare innovations, and clinical and scientific research, while also delivering best-in-class healthcare to patients in Abu Dhabi and beyond.
CoEs must meet the minimum standard requirements issued by DoH, which outline the necessary criteria and prerequisites for licensed healthcare facilities seeking to acquire the designation. DoH outlined six key indicators that are taken into consideration when evaluating whether the healthcare facility can be recognised as a Centre of Excellence. The indicators cover the following points: clinical outcomes, patient experience, patient safety and quality of medical services, levels of employee competency, and the facilities’ medical education, research strategies, and residency programmes. DoH also assesses the accreditations to determine the healthcare facility’s eligibility to become a CoE.
