In a move to enhance healthcare delivery, Oman’s Ministry of Health has launched several initiatives aimed at reducing waiting times for medical services at Khoula Hospital and Al Nahda Hospital. These measures are expected to significantly improve patient access to essential diagnostic and surgical services.
Accelerating MRI Scan Availability
The Ministry’s Directorate General at Khoula Hospital, under the leadership of Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, has prioritized reducing MRI scan waiting times. The hospital plans to conduct 12,000 MRI scans over the coming year, targeting 45 to 50 scans daily on weekdays and 20 on weekends. This initiative is designed to reduce MRI appointment waits to under four weeks, a dramatic improvement from the lengthy 16-month wait experienced in previous years.
Enhancing Endoscopy Services
The expansion of endoscopy services is another key focus. The Ministry has increased the number of endoscopy rooms from one to three at Khoula and Al Nahda hospitals. This expansion is expected to bring down the waiting time for endoscopy procedures from one year to just two months, with a further goal of reducing routine appointment waits to four weeks.
Read More: Oman’s Muscat Municipality Goes Digital
Surgical Capacity Expansion
In addition to diagnostic services, the Ministry is also boosting its surgical capacity. One initiative aims to perform 1,000 tonsil and adenoid removal surgeries within the next year, with a monthly target of 83 surgeries. To facilitate this, Khoula Hospital has activated additional operating rooms in its Day Care Building.
A similar initiative targets knee replacement surgeries, with the Ministry planning 1,000 such procedures over the next year. With 27 surgeries scheduled each week, the waiting time for knee replacements is expected to drop from 700 days to just 120 days.
Reducing Cataract Surgery Backlogs
Cataract surgery is another area of focus. The Ministry plans to perform 1,500 cataract surgeries over the next year—1,000 at Al-Nahda Hospital and 500 at Khoula Hospital. This effort aims to cut the cataract surgery waiting list by 50%, scheduling an average of eight surgeries daily.
Evening Clinics and Special Care Services
To further alleviate waiting times, an evening clinic has been introduced at Al-Nahda Hospital’s Dentistry and Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery Department. This clinic is expected to treat over 900 patients in the next three months, reducing emergency wait times to two weeks and routine appointments to less than six weeks.
The Ministry has also initiated a program to expedite urgent dental treatments for special needs patients under general anesthesia. This program aims to complete treatments within four months, supported by increased operating room availability during weekdays.
Optimizing Hospital Operations
To complement these patient-focused initiatives, the Ministry has introduced a revenue cycle management program at Khoula Hospital. This program is designed to enhance the operational efficiency of the hospital’s billing system, which is critical for maintaining Khoula’s role as a key emergency and disaster response center.
