The “Patient and Family Experience in Neonatal Care” Conference got underway this morning (Wednesday) at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, under the theme “From the Very First Moment, the Care Experience Begins”. Organized by the Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Patient Experience Project Team, the two-day conference aims to highlight the importance of patient and family experience in neonatal care.
The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Yousuf bin Salim Al Hinai, Head of the Government Communication and Performance Unit at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Saeed bin Harib Al-Lamki, MOH Undersecretary for Health Affairs, along with a number of officials.
Dr. Abeer bint Abdullah bin Saif Al Maamari, Head of the National Patient Experience Project Team, delivered a welcome address in which she emphasized that family experience in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is an integral part of the quality and safety of care. She noted that parents are true partners in their child’s treatment journey, bringing invaluable knowledge and insight, and should be actively involved in discussions, decision-making, and the development of care plans.
She explained that healthcare systems worldwide have undergone a shift in their understanding of quality of care. Success is no longer measured solely by the number of services provided or the level of technology available, but also by the experience of patients and their families, one characterized by respect and the preservation of dignity. She added that listening to patients and their families has become a source of knowledge and a tool for improvement, while their involvement is now a cornerstone of healthcare decision-making.
Head of the National Patient Experience Project Team pointed out that the Ministry of Health has given particular attention to patient experience, and that these efforts culminated in the Ministry receiving an Honorable Mention in the Leadership and Management Excellence Award category at the 2026 International Hospital Federation (IHF) Awards for its Patient Experience Project. This achievement aligns with the principles of health governance and the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 to build a sustainable, people-centered healthcare system.
Al Maamari stressed that delivering an exceptional healthcare experience is a shared responsibility, requiring the integration of leadership vision, the expertise of care providers and the commitment of Patient Experience Focal Points. She called for a shift from measuring the experience to understanding it, and from a standardized approach to care towards one that takes account of the diverse human and cultural circumstances of families.
The conference aims to transform the family experience in neonatal care by shifting from responding to challenges after they arise to designing care journeys that anticipate needs and take into account the individual circumstances of each child and family. It also seeks to embed family-centered care and ensure that parents are actively involved in decision-making and the development of care plans.
Furthermore, the conference aims to draw on families’ experiences and turn them into opportunities for improvement through the use of measurement, data and modern technologies, while facilitating the exchange of expertise and best practices among healthcare institutions. These efforts are intended to promote more compassionate, higher-quality care in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
Over the two days, the conference features a scientific program comprising lectures, panel discussions and family experience-sharing sessions, with the participation of speakers from the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The first day’s sessions explore reimagining the family experience in neonatal intensive care units, the fathers’ experience, the Neonatal Development Clinic in the Sultanate of Oman, and the cultural adaptation of global family experience measurement tools.
The second day addresses several topics, including embedding patient experience in Omani hospitals, clinical governance, the hidden emotional burden on families, therapeutic communication, and the transition towards a patient-centered healthcare environment.