Against all odds, the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital continues to pursue its mission to heal with compassion

The healthcare sector in Lebanon has indeed faced countless challenges since 2019. The LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital has surged through this difficult period and has continued to invest, adapt, and expand. 

Committed to serving the Lebanese community, The LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital is determined to stand by all those who need them in good times as in times of crisis.The lynchpin of the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital is to Heal with Compassion, hence the importance of continually developing and improving patient experience within the LAU Medical Center.

 This was well reflected during the COVID-19 pandemic, where a plan was rapidly put int place allowing the medical center to be among the first to receive and treat patients. Furthermore, the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital took their mission nationwide, launching an awareness campaign through the dedicated LAU Mobile PCR Unit.

On the eve of the devastating August 4 Beirut Port blast, despite the damage the medical center endured, the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital was fully committed to the community and was able to treat over 500 casualties. A fast-track renovation plan was also put in place in order to mend what was damaged and continue to serve the community.

The LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital has also been at the forefront of several healthcare initiatives and has been proactive in initiating a national healthcare strategy for crisis management and public health restructuring. They ignited with other UMC’s negotiations with the TPA’s for new insurance models based on “Fresh Cash” schemes & new deals.

They started a fundraising campaign for oncology patients, in the US, through donations, hoping to ensure the treatments of their patients and avoid major shortages.

They developed and implemented the ultramodern Hybrid OR at the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital to enhance OR efficiency. With the state-of-the-art commodities and equipment supported by highly trained personnel, the hospital acquired a hybrid operating room enabling its surgical team to perform more complex procedures with better outcomes and shorter patient recovery. 

They implemented the best practices upheld by the American College of Surgeons that contributed to operating room safety, efficiency, and usage of operating room equipment. Through USAID’s support, LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital doubled its capacity to sterilize surgical utensils and reduced sterilization time by half, which enables the hospital to manage sustainably more surgeries.

An efficient pharmacy system was launched with a state-of-the-art closed loop medication system to help improve efficiency, quality of care and minimize dispensing errors. With this new pharmacy system, more effective timeline controls will provide the right patients with the right dose of the right medication at the right time through a high level of traceability across the hospital. 

Furthermore, and on a patient-centric level, the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital has:

1. Always shown compassion towards patients and their families.

2. Placed patients at the center of their services, focusing on improving the patient’s experience at different levels:

At the level of healthcare delivery,

At the level of service excellence,

At the level of value for money

3. Aimed for a universal coverage for all / at all levels.

4. Created private-to-public partnerships with medical centers.

5. Reshaped the public healthcare sector essentially around Primary Care Centers.

On an internal level, and because the medical staff are at the heart of the medical centers, the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital has created a retention and motivation plan with several relief financial packages to assist and support their staff by adjusting their income and benefits. In addition, by expanding and launching LAUMC-SJH, countless job opportunities were created within the medical field which has contributed to the reduction in unemployment. 

In a nutshell, 2022 was a challenging year for Lebanon. However, the LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital has been able to rise above it all and not only cope with these challenges but create new opportunities for growth to better serve the Lebanese community. The LAU Medical Center- Rizk Hospital is ready to face 2023 head-on and place Lebanon’s healthcare system on the global map once again.