Panaga Health has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval from Joint Commission International (JCI) for Ambulatory Care Organisation, making it the first medical facility in Brunei to be accredited by JCI for the category.
The recognition demonstrates Panaga Health’s compliance with international health care quality standards for patient care and organisation management.
The award was officially granted to Panaga Health on 28 October 2023, and it is the fourth medical centre in the country to receive accreditation from the American-based body.
The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organisation’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care, as well as adherence to best business practices.
In his remarks, Panaga Health Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Haji Ahmad Fakhri Dato Paduka Haji Junaidi said that it is hoped the recognition will boost public’s confidence and continue to serve its Brunei Shell clientele.
“The process of JCI is not easy. However, the decision to go with it was a simple one. It was made to align our standards with other accredited medical facilities in Brunei,” he said.
He further said that going through the standards, allowed the centre to identify areas for improvement and to be better as an organisation.
The CMO extended the heartiest appreciation and gratitude to the Panaga Health team for their commitment and sacrifice over the past couple of years.
“The JCI accreditation is a testament to our hard work in delivering high-quality care and putting our patients’ safety first,” said the cmo.
He added: “As we celebrate today, we are also reminded that the recognition comes with the responsibility to ensure that we build on our achievements and continue to seek opportunities to better ourselves for the benefit of the communities that we serve.”
Panaga Health underwent a rigorous on-site survey in October 2023. During the process, a JCI expert surveyor evaluated compliance with ambulatory care standards related to a variety of areas, including International Patient Safety Goals, patient assessment and care, medication management, patient and family education, quality improvement, infection prevention and control, governance and leadership, facility management, staff qualifications and education, and information management.
In line with Panaga Health’s mission to deliver quality health services through C.A.R.E (Centre of Excellence, Accredited for Quality, Responsive to Community & Business Needs, Empowered Professional Team) patients’ safety is always at the core of all the services provided.
This achievement reflects Panaga Health’s unwavering commitment to maintaining high standards of patient care and safety. Although Panaga Health is a medical facility under Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), the centre aspires to serve the wider community and is open to the public.
The JCI Accreditation was presented by Minister of Health Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Md Isham Hj Jaafar to Panaga Health CMO Haji Ahmad Fakhri.
Also in attendance at the presentation ceremony were Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional) at Ministry of Health Dr Ang Swee Hui; Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Management) at Ministry of Health Dr Hajah Anie Haryani Haji Abd Rahman; Managing Director of BSP and Shell Country Chair in Brunei Darussalam Agnete Johnsgaard-Lewis; BSP Leadership Team; senior offficials from the Ministry of Health and BSP.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
