Providing medical quality and service
Interview with Dr. Douglas Stevens
Chief Medical Officer
United Family Healthcare

在过去的十余年间，我国的医疗卫生事业取得了长足发展。公众在注重身体健康的同时，也更加了解到高品质医疗对自身健康的重要性，越来越多的人倾向于选择提供更为优质服务的医疗机构为自己和家人的身体保驾护航。因此，优质私营医院在我国的市场份额也逐年扩大，越来越多的国际化医疗公司进入了各大城市。天津作为国际化都市，也吸引了不少医疗机构进驻，为市民带来更加便利的医疗服务。天津和睦家医院坐落于天津市河西区，其总公司和睦家医疗集团(UFH)作为一家大型连锁优质医疗保健品牌，是中国境内第一家按国际标准设立、诊疗技术领先的综合性医疗机构。

目前除天津外，和睦家医疗集团在北京、上海、广州、无锡、天津、青岛等主要城市设有医院。和睦家凭借其达到国际标准的医疗保健系统，为每位患者提供个性化的优质医疗服务。本次我们有幸采访到了天津和睦家医院医疗总监Douglas Stevens博士，他亲切地与我们分享了自己的从业经历，让我们了解到了和睦家对待患者服务至上，医治患者品质保障的理念。

Stevens博士于1985年在南非开普敦大学获得了医学学位，毕业后其中几年他因强制征兵政策入伍，期间从未停止对医学的研究和探索。他回忆起战时缺医少药的情形下为每位伤员进行医疗救助的情形，告诉我们在急诊时医生必备的两项技能，那就是保持冷静以及培养自身医疗技术和经验知识。1989年他移居加拿大，此后八年间他从事家庭医学工作。在那里，他获得了HSE文凭且收获了行医执照。2000年他加入了SOS国际救援组织，期间他被分派到了亚洲多国执行任务。在多年的工作中，他积累了大量医疗、救援与协调工作的经验。现在，作为和睦家的一员，他表示，和睦家为患者、员工以及团队带去了有力的服务承诺。和睦家是一个优秀的企业。对于公司未来的发展，Stevens博士计划扩大与公立医院的合作事业，建立共同服务协议，协助改善护理标准。这样做也是为了吸引更多合格且技术过硬的医生来到和睦家这个大家庭。此外，他还希望可以扩大和提升医院在产科、儿科以及家庭医疗方面的服务，以吸引更多患者到此就医，为本地患者以外籍人士提供更加优质的VIP服务。

和睦家提供24小时紧急救助，致力于为所有人提供优质医疗、护理服务。患者在这里可以得到最贴心的照顾，它不仅仅是一家医疗机构，更是患者的另一个家，患者的需求永远是和睦家的首要工作。品质医疗，优质服务，这正是和睦家带给患者的真切感受。

Over the last decade, China has strategically grown its healthcare research and development programs thus making the country an ideal market for health-related companies. Because of the growth in the healthcare industry, numerous multinational companies have competitively provided accessible services to China’s citizens. About 95% of its citizens have basic health insurance coverage and clinics and hospitals are becoming more available especially in rural areas.
 

UFH or United Family Healthcare is a private international healthcare in China with clinics around major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuxi, Tianjin, Qingdao, and Mongolia. Along with these establishments, the company also has 14 satellite clinics and medical centres. With its international-standard healthcare system, UFH offers premium personalized healthcare for interested individuals. UFH is also a pioneer of JCI accreditation in China and was awarded with the “Gold Seal of Approval” in September 2011.
 

We’ve had the opportunity to interview UFH’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Douglas Stevens who has kindly shared his personal experience in the healthcare industry in addition to giving us more insight to UFH’s revolutionary approach in quality and service-oriented healthcare programs.
 

Dr. Douglas Stevens

Dr. Stevens earned his degree in medicine in 1985 at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. His first training began with OB maternity care after studying for four years. Due to political upheaval in neighboring South African countries in 1987-1988, military service was compulsory. Young men had to enlist after they have graduated from university, and for two years Dr. Stevens was tasked to work on emergency response and medicine in the battlefield during this time of turmoil in South Africa.
 

He treated soldiers, civilians, and even enemies from gunshot wounds, explosions, and other severe trauma caused by the conflict. “My role as medical officer was to rescue anybody who was injured” says Dr. Stevens. Lack of facilities in the battlefield made it a difficult task to conduct medical services. Despite having a medically equipped backpack while on the field, Dr. Stevens recalls how the emergency response team should always act quickly in treating the wounded, moving them away from the battlefield, and transferring them to a medical facility. Even with the risk of injury or death, Dr. Stevens continued to do his job in the battlefield. His focus was to rescue and treat the wounded. Because of this experience, Dr. Stevens shares two skills that he believes are important for anyone who is interested in emergency medicine:
 

1. Stay calm under pressure: Step back, take a deep breath, and don’t panic!

2. Build your technical skill, knowledge, experience, and training: Keep training when you have the opportunity so as to improve your skills.
 

During those years in the battlefield Dr. Stevens was one of the lucky few who did not get injured.
 

After his military service, Dr. Stevens moved to Canada in 1989. He worked there for eight years in family medicine. He was also a manager for two ambulance services which gave him training in primary EMS. His interest was in emergency medicine, and in Canada this was a board certificate specialization. He earned his licensure in the Medical Council of Canada and has a diploma in Disaster Medicine, and a diploma in HSE (Health and Safety).
 

In 2000 Dr. Stevens joined the International SOS. It is an international company based in Singapore with offices in 27 countries. During his tenure he was assigned to various countries in Asia and Europe such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, UK, and Russia. He was assigned as medical director in London for two years before being transferred to Beijing to manage the clinic. He stayed in the company for 10 years after which he worked in Ireland as a Senior Registrar, Accident and Emergency Department, at three different hospitals. His last corporate work was for a Danish company called FALCK.
 

He recalls that one of the most exciting and stimulating projects of his career was during the 2004 tsunami on the west coast of Thailand. He was director of the project and coordinated the rescue mission. He corresponded with the various government agencies and embassies of the expatriates who were affected by the tsunami. “It was very interesting, lots of leadership and coordination, but also providing medical quality and service.”
 

Now, as member of UFH we asked Dr. Stevens about his plans for the hospital. His initial impression when he joined the company was that he could see why United Family Healthcare is the number one private hospital organization: Strong service commitment for patients, staff, and team. For Dr. Stevens, creating a family experience for everyone who works at UFH was a determining factor that this is an excellent company.
 

One of his plans for the company is to build and expand partnership with public hospitals. This is to help attract qualified, talented, and skilled doctors to work in the hospital as either part-time or full-time staff. His aim is for growth; grow in terms of communication, the skill, the standard, and the relationship. He would also like to collaborate and cooperate with Chinese public hospitals level 3A, 3B and 2, and establish a mutual service agreement, and to assist them in improving their standard care. Another sector he wishes to address is to build and expand the hospital’s services in OB, paediatrics, and family service to attract more patients. He also wants to build the capability of the HDU - High Dependency Unit, which is a form of modified ICU care at UFH. He imagines building a good reputation for Chinese citizens and expatriates with quality VIP service while receiving the standard of care. “I am excited to be here, and I look forward to supporting all these initiatives, that the quality and service will grow every day, every month, and every year.”
 

UFH is more than just a healthcare facility, it is your home away from home in times of medical concerns. Your comfort and needs are the company’s priority. Its commitment to excel in quality treatments, care programs, services, and standards sets the bar high in healthcare services in China. From the hospital’s welcoming environment and friendly staff, patients are assured that they are provided with maximum care. It is committed in service and patient welfare by providing a 24-hour service hotline and urgent care, making it convenient and accessible for everyone.