Doha, July 13 (Petra & FANA) — Qatar’s healthcare sector is
investing heavily in digital transformation and in deploying the
latest smart health technologies, marking a new phase in laboratory
diagnostics and genetic testing.

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has adopted advanced digital systems
to manage laboratory operations and to integrate analytical
instruments with medical records electronically to deliver test
results securely and immediately, reducing turnaround times while
improving accuracy and quality.

This digital transformation aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030,
which aims to build an integrated digital healthcare system driven by
innovation, data and advanced technologies to support faster clinical
decision-making, improve patient experience and enhance resource
efficiency.

Digital transformation has become a cornerstone of healthcare
development in Qatar, with expanding use of artificial intelligence
and data analytics strengthening the sector’s readiness for future
challenges while raising the quality and efficiency of diagnostic
services.

Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Chairman, Dr. Einas Al Kuwari,
revealed that the department has achieved significant advances
through qualitative achievements, record numbers, and large-scale
digital transformations that reinforce the role of medical
laboratories as a key pillar of Qatar’s modern healthcare system.

In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), she said HMC
laboratories perform more than 20 million diagnostic tests annually,
including approximately 153,000 genetic tests conducted by its
Genetic Diagnostics Laboratory. These include testing for inherited
disorders, genetic mutations linked to blood cancers and lymph nodes
and other diseases, as well as premarital and newborn screenings.

She said the current phase of digital transformation has focused on
improving operational efficiency, accelerating reporting of results
and enhancing service quality.

As part of developing its precision medicine services, HMC has
launched an in-house Clinical Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) for the
first time, alongside new pharmacogenomics and thrombophilia testing
services, expanding its ability to deliver personalized diagnosis and
treatment, Dr. Al Kuwari highlighted.

In terms of blood transfusion services, Al Kuwari said Qatar has
achieved self-sufficiency in blood and blood components through
strong donor participation. HMC has also secured international
accreditation for 11 sites and introduced the use of Low Titer O
Whole Blood for critically injured trauma patients, improving
survival rates through faster treatment of severe bleeding.

She added that HMC has introduced cryopreservation technology for
rare blood group red blood cell units, allowing them to be stored for
up to 30 years, strengthening preparedness for complex and rare
clinical cases.

In the organ transplantation field, Qatar’s only histocompatibility
laboratory continues to support kidney and bone marrow transplant
programs using advanced technologies that reduce the risk of immune
rejection and improve transplant outcomes. The laboratory also offers
advanced tests, including cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and immune cell
function testing, to improve post-transplant monitoring and support
patients.

Al Kuwari said the Cell Therapy Laboratory continues to provide stem
cell-based bone marrow transplant for adult cancer patients, with an
increase of 19% compared to last year.

In clinical biochemistry, she said, HMC has introduced therapeutic
drug monitoring, lipoprotein(a) testing to support early
cardiovascular disease detection, expanded zinc and preeclampsia
screening, and deployed advanced polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
systems for respiratory virus testing.

The anatomical pathology laboratory receives more than 60,000 tissue
samples annually, with cancer or suspected cancer cases accounting
for around 13% of total cases. The growing volume reflects increasing
demand for histopathology services and their central role in early
cancer detection, supported by advanced diagnostic technologies that
improve accuracy and speed clinical decision-making, enhancing the
quality of care provided to patients.

Meanwhile, the microbiology department, she added, continues to
strengthen efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance by developing
national surveillance profiles, implementing the One Health approach,
and expanding diagnostic supervision and infection prevention
programs that improve diagnostic efficiency, reduce costs, and
enhance patient safety.

On medical education, Al Kuwari said the department organized Qatar’s
first pathology conference and was accredited as a venue for the
Royal College of Pathologists Fellowship (FRCPath) examinations,
postgraduate and fellowship training programs, and strengthened
academic collaboration with Qatar University.

Dr. Al Kuwari concluded that the achievements in HMC’s laboratory
medicine and pathology represent a strategic shift toward building a
smart national laboratory system based on innovation, technology,
scientific research, and skilled professionals, further enhancing
healthcare quality and patient safety in Qatar.

//Petra//