Assistant Professor Dr. Ali Azeez Ali from the Clinical Pharmacy Department participated in a research presentation at the international conference on “Patient Experience,” which was held at the Al-Sabtain University for Medical Sciences in the holy city of Karbala on September 27 and 28, 2024. The conference was organized by the Warith Al-Anbiya Foundation for Oncology, affiliated with the holy shrine of Imam Hussein. Dr. Ali Aziz’s contribution focused on “Patients’ and their companions’ views regarding the psychological services provided by government hospitals in Iraq,” highlighting several challenges facing psychological services in this governmental sector. These challenges include the limited availability of patient privacy, the low usage of non-pharmacological therapeutic methods, inadequate financial support for this important sector, and the societal barriers that prevent some patients from seeking psychological help from specialists.
Researchers and speakers shared their international experiences regarding patient satisfaction and improving patient experience in healthcare services. Dr. Haider Hamza, Director of the Warith Oncology Foundation, discussed the expansion of services provided by his institution, supported by the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, for cancer patients in Iraq, especially the free services for children with cancer and subsidized services for adults. Dr. Haider also mentioned the expansion of building branches of the foundation in Iraqi governorates, particularly the second branch in Basra, as well as providing specialized institutions for the care of children with autism in the central and southern governorates.
