Digital transformation in Qatar enhances precision medicine and ensures the speed, efficiency and safety of examination results

The health bulletin of the Qatar News Agency (QNA) is part of the health file of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA).
The health sector in the State of Qatar is investing strongly in the field of digital transformation and employing the latest smart health technologies, with work accelerating towards forming a new stage in the development of laboratory diagnostic services and genetic tests.

Hamad Medical Corporation relies on advanced digital systems to manage laboratory operations and link analysis devices and medical files electronically, ensuring that test results are issued quickly, efficiently, and safely, and reducing their completion time, while raising the levels of accuracy and quality in laboratory services.
This development is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 towards building an integrated digital health system based on innovation, data and modern technologies, which contributes to supporting speedy medical decision-making, improving patient experience and enhancing the efficiency of resource use.

Digital transformation in medical laboratories represents one of the main axes for the development of health services in the State of Qatar, in light of the expansion of the use of artificial intelligence and data analysis techniques, which enhances the readiness of the health sector to keep pace with future challenges, and supports achieving the highest levels of quality and efficiency in diagnostic services.
Head of the Medical Laboratories and Pathology Department at Hamad Medical Corporation, Dr. Enas Al-Kuwari, revealed the advanced and exceptional developments achieved by the department, supported by qualitative achievements, record numbers, and large-scale digital transformations that enhance the position of medical laboratories as one of the basic pillars of the modern health care system in the State of Qatar.
She explained in an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Foundation’s laboratories provide advanced diagnostic services, as they conduct more than 20 million tests annually, including about 153,000 genetic tests carried out by the Genetic Diagnostic Laboratory, which include diagnosing hereditary diseases and genetic changes associated with blood cancers, lymph nodes and other diseases, in addition to screening tests for those approaching marriage and newborns.
She indicated that the current stage is witnessing a noticeable acceleration in the path of digital transformation, through the development of technical systems and the adoption of advanced digital solutions that have contributed to raising operating efficiency, accelerating the issuance of results, and improving the quality of services.

Within the framework of developing precision medicine services, Dr. Enas Al-Kuwari pointed out the launch of the clinical whole exome sequencing (WES) service within the laboratory for the first time, in addition to the introduction of pharmacogenomics tests and clotting disorders, which represents a qualitative shift in the capabilities of diagnosis and treatment based on the personal needs of each patient.
In terms of blood transfusion services, she pointed out the achievement of self-sufficiency in blood and its components thanks to the response of donors, in addition to obtaining international accreditations in 11 locations within the institution, in addition to launching the initiative to use low-caliber whole blood of type O for critically injured patients, a development that contributes to improving the chances of survival by providing rapid and comprehensive treatment in cases of severe bleeding.
She said: Hamad Medical Corporation has introduced the technology of freezing red blood cell units for rare blood types, which can be preserved for up to 30 years, enhancing readiness to deal with complex and rare cases.
In the field of organ transplantation, she explained that the tissue matching laboratory, the only one of its kind in Qatar, continues to achieve advanced results in supporting kidney and bone marrow transplantation operations, using modern techniques that reduce rates of immune rejection and raise success rates, in addition to providing advanced tests, including cellular free DNA (cfDNA) testing and examining immune cell functions, which supports close follow-up of organ transplant patients.
She noted that the Cell Therapy Laboratory continues to provide its services to adult cancer patients through bone marrow transplantation using stem cells, with a 19% growth in workload compared to last year.
She pointed out that in the field of clinical biochemistry, advanced services have been introduced, including monitoring therapeutic drugs and apolipoprotein (a) examination to support early diagnosis of heart disease, in addition to expanding the scope of zinc and pre-eclampsia tests, and operating modern devices to examine respiratory viruses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology.
She said: With regard to anatomical diseases and human tissues, the laboratory receives more than 60,000 samples annually, of which cancerous cases or suspected malignant tumors represent about 13%. This reflects the increasing demand for histological diagnostic services and their pivotal role in early detection of tumors, at a time when this field is witnessing remarkable annual growth supported by the application of the latest diagnostic technologies, which contributes to raising the accuracy of results, accelerating treatment decision-making, and enhancing the quality of care provided to patients.
She added that the Microbiology Department, for its part, continues its vital role in confronting antimicrobial resistance, by developing national biotypes and implementing the “One Health” approach, in addition to diagnostic supervision and infection control programs that have contributed to raising the efficiency of diagnosis, reducing costs, and enhancing patient safety.
With regard to medical education, Dr. Al-Kuwari explained that the center organized the first pathology conference in Qatar, and was also approved as the headquarters for the Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath), in addition to accrediting graduate programs and specialized fellowships, and strengthening academic cooperation with Qatar University.
She concluded her speech to QNA by stressing that what has been achieved in the field of laboratories and pathology at Hamad Medical Corporation represents a strategic shift towards building a smart national laboratory system, based on innovation, technology, scientific research and human competencies, in a way that enhances the quality of health care and patient safety in the State of Qatar.