HMC’s Urgent Consultation Service provides fast and easy access to essential healthcare services

Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has encouraged the public to seek Urgent Consultation Service for prescription refills, consultation and medication prescription for non-emergency conditions.

The service now covers 14 specialties and has handled more than 11,700 calls in February 2024, according to the latest report on activities across HMC hospitals and services.

The telephone-based Urgent Consultation Service allows patients to speak to healthcare professionals to obtain appropriate diagnoses.

Patients can access the service by dialing 16000, selecting option 3 and then 1 – between 8am and 3pm from Sunday to Thursday.

Calls are triaged by a doctor to determine which specialty the patient should be referred to.

If the physician finds the condition needs medication, they will issue an electronic prescription. The Patient can visit any HMC hospital or Health Center to collect the medication. The physician can also review the patient’s medical status and lab reports when they do not have an upcoming scheduled clinical appointment. For a sick leave certificate, patients can also contact HMC’s Urgent Consultation Service.

Launched in 2020 to ensure patients had access to essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Urgent Consultation Service continues to provide fast and easy access to essential healthcare services for patients, according to HMC.

Through social media platforms HMC has shared information about the Urgent Consultation Service and encouraged the public to seek the service when required. According to HMC it has received positive feedback from patients and they find Urgent Consultation Service more convenient.

Current specialties covered by the Urgent Consultation Service include general medicine, geriatric medicine, neurology, cardiology, urology, dermatology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, ENT, pain management, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, oncology-hematology and dietitian.

Besides HMC’s Urgent Consultation Services, 13 Urgent Care Units delivered by the Primary Health Care Corporation and Qatar Red Crescent Society – across Qatar provide services and ensure that patients have access to the right level of care at the right time.

PHCC has 11 adult urgent care centers, with five of them also accommodating paediatrics.

Urgent care centers provide 24/7 medical support for non-life-threatening conditions such as respiratory conditions, minor burns, sprains, severe headache or earache and high fever.

PHCC also offers an urgent consultation service via telephone, seven days a week from 7am to 1pm by dialing 16000, selecting PHCC, followed by option 2.