New clinics at Al-Bashir and Prince Hamzah hospitals began receiving patients on Tuesday who have recently been referred from health centers and hospitals for medical assessment, in a move aimed at reducing waiting periods that can extend to eight months in some specialties and accelerating patients’ access to specialist care.
Minister of Health Ibrahim Al-Badour said establishing the clinics is an organizational measure designed to streamline the patient journey. Newly referred patients will undergo a medical assessment on the same day or within a short period, rather than waiting months for an appointment after being referred.
He explained that the ministry had identified cases requiring specialist assessment, but patients were often referred from health centers to a specific specialty and then had to visit the hospital to obtain an appointment, leaving some without specialist evaluation for extended periods.
Al-Badour said the new clinics will complement the existing clinics at Al-Bashir and Prince Hamzah hospitals and will include specialists in internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics and gynecology. They will assess referred cases and determine the appropriate medical pathway based on each patient’s needs.
Under the new mechanism, newly referred patients will see a specialist on the same day or within a short period. The doctor will then determine the appropriate course of action, whether medical or surgical intervention, follow-up care or referral to another specialty.
Al-Badour cited the example of a patient whose condition requires surgery, such as appendicitis or a gallbladder problem. The necessary medical intervention would be arranged, while patients who do not require surgery would be given an appointment appropriate to their medical condition.
The direct assessment mechanism will also allow patients to be referred to the most appropriate specialty. For example, if an internal medicine specialist identifies indications requiring a kidney specialist’s assessment, such as elevated markers associated with kidney function, the patient will be referred to the relevant specialist based on their health condition.
The mechanism applies to newly referred patients and does not include those who already have regular follow-up appointments with their doctors, including patients with chronic diseases who are receiving treatment and undergoing periodic follow-up.
It also excludes cancer patients receiving treatment at the King Hussein Cancer Center, in accordance with the arrangements governing their care.
The initiative targets patients who visit health centers and are found to have a new health problem requiring specialist assessment, including cases of high blood pressure, diabetes, or other symptoms and health problems requiring specialized care.
Al-Badour noted that some patients in this category had been given appointments several months away despite requiring medical assessment, potentially delaying diagnosis or treatment. This prompted the ministry to adopt direct assessment and organize the patient’s medical pathway according to their needs.
The mechanism also covers patients with distant appointments at general and subspecialty clinics. Their needs can be assessed and appointments reorganized according to their medical conditions, helping make better use of the available capacity at the two hospitals.
The ministry selected Al-Bashir and Prince Hamzah hospitals to launch the initiative because they experience significant pressure. The areas served by the two hospitals have a combined population of around five million people, while nearly half of Jordan’s population is concentrated in Amman.
In Zarqa Governorate, the ministry has begun pilot steps in preparation for expanding the initiative later to Zarqa Governmental Hospital, Princess Basma Hospital and other hospitals, depending on the level of pressure and waiting times at their clinics.
Al-Badour said the greatest pressure is concentrated at major hospitals in Amman, Zarqa and Irbid, while patients in some other governorates can obtain appointments on the same day. As a result, the mechanism is primarily being implemented at hospitals experiencing lengthy waiting periods.
He clarified that the new clinics will not replace existing clinics or alter their operations. Rather, they will add clinics and specialists to receive newly referred patients and distribute cases among specialties according to their medical needs.
The move is part of the ministry’s efforts to reorganize the relationship between health centers and hospitals. Under the approach, health centers will handle cases that can be managed through primary healthcare, while cases requiring specialized care will be referred according to medical necessity. This is intended to reduce overcrowding and improve the efficiency of human resources and available facilities.
Al-Badour said the measures are being implemented in line with Prime Minister Jafar Hassan’s directive to develop healthcare services, improve the efficiency of the healthcare system and facilitate citizens’ access to medical services, particularly in specialties experiencing high demand and large numbers of patients.
He added that the ministry is simultaneously working to reorganize the operations of health centers surrounding hospitals in the capital and strengthen their capacity for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up within primary healthcare specialties. This will ensure that patients are directed to the appropriate level of care from the beginning of their treatment journey.
The ministry is monitoring the results of the pilot and assessing the needs of different health regions before expanding it, as part of an effort to organize medical referrals, prioritize patients, reduce overcrowding and waiting times, and improve the use of available personnel and resources.
Al-Badour described the initiative as an organizational measure aimed at having a direct impact on the patient journey by shortening the period between referral and specialist assessment, identifying medical needs more quickly, and ultimately providing the appropriate service at the appropriate time.
