AKUH Starts Clifton Medical Services

Doctors and nurses attending to Urgent Care patients at Clifton Medical Services.

Established in January 2004, Clifton Medical Services is part of the Hospital's outreach programme that aims to provide accessible, compassionate and high-quality health care to patients residing in distant areas of Karachi. The facility, located behind the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, is testament to AKUH's rapid growth and its goal of providing the best possible options for diagnosis of disease and team management of patient care. AKUH now operates eight such off-site Integrated Medical Services units across Karachi.

Building and commissioning the project was the easy part. Now comes the real work where we all have to pull together to meet, and even exceed, the needs and expectations of our customers," says Sohail Habib, Administrator, Outpatient Services, AKUH.

Clifton Medical Services comprises Consulting Clinics that offer specialised outpatient consultation facilities ranging from Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Paediatrics to Psychiatry, Medicine and Surgery. In addition, Urgent Care Services provide treatment for conditions that require prompt attention but do not pose an immediate or serious health threat. Patients with critical, serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries should report directly to the Hospital's Emergency Medicine Section on Stadium Road. "I am thoroughly satisfied with the service provided at this centre. I hope the facility will continue to expand and soon include day care surgery," comments a patient.

Pharmacy services are operated under the supervision of graduate pharmacists who provide comprehensive information related to drugs and their usage. All drugs are stored at a controlled temperature to maintain validity and efficacy. Pharmacy services can also prepare special drug formulations for patients if requested by their doctors. Radiology services (general radiography, orthopentomogram and ultrasound with colour doppler, small parts and endocavity probes) are provided under the supervision of qualified radiologists. For special procedures such as MRI, CT and Nuclear Medicine, the staff provides assistance in making appointments with AKUH's main facility on Stadium Road. The Centre also includes a Laboratory Specimen Collection Unit, which transports specimens to the main laboratory at AKUH in accordance with international standards for storage and transportation of pathological specimens. The Hospital's laboratory specimen facilities extend beyond Karachi with 52 collection units now operating throughout Pakistan.