The HIMSS Middle East Conference 2012 opened on Sunday 20 May with HE Engineer Zaid Daoud Al Siksek, CEO, Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (HAAD) set to welcome delegates to the event by emphasizing the irrefutably vital role information technology plays in modern healthcare practice. HE Al Siksek will outline the seismic impact IT has had in transforming the Middle East’s healthcare systems from long waiting times to instant doctor feedback via e-portals.

The two-day conference, which takes place at the Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi on 20-21 May 2012, focuses on integrating healthcare information systems and technology for medical service solutions. In fact the manifestation of various health information technology (HIT) initiatives in the field has prompted prominent healthcare experts to advocate e-Health as the way forward for the sector.

And in the plenary address, Khalid Majid Ahmad Lootah, Advisor to UAE Minister of Health for Strategy and Information Technology, UAE Ministry of Health, will examine the driving factors, advantages, constraints and environmental factors which shape the HIT sector.

“The MoH has sponsored an e-Health strategy for the UAE which will enable them to deliver efficient, world-class healthcare accessible to all people through a mixture of private and public channels,” Lootah explained prior to the event. The undoubted benefits of a paperless network of healthcare records through HIT initiatives such as clinical coding to both the environment and returns of investment (ROI) are also on the agenda throughout HIMSS 2012.

In fact, according to HIMSS an increasing number of hospitals in the UAE and the wider Gulf region are now actively adopting Electronic Medical Record (EMR) technology – a fully implemented paperless medical record system – as they look to improve patient safety, quality and efficiency, as well as save on their costs. John Hoyt, Executive Vice President, Organizational Services, HIMMS Analytics USA, said: “A case study in 2010, showed that six hospitals in the United States saved a total of US$48.5 million per annum by adopting EMR techology.

“If a similar performance was achieved in the UAE, it would result in a total saving of at least US$640 million for the more-than-eighty federal, local government and private hospitals.” Other key topics to be laid out on the proverbial surgeons table by world-renowned healthcare experts and examined at the conference this year include the future of health insurance in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); improving clinical and financial outcomes; ROI in clinical settings; the National Health Service (NHS) private cloud infrastructure project; and new hospital construction from an IT perspective.

Furthermore, a strong delegation of prominent Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) representatives at this year’s event, is headed by Mohammed R Al Yemeni, PhD, Deputy Minister for Planning & Health Economics, will deliver an opening address to conference attendees.

Dr. Al Yemeni will discuss the strategic direction and plans for the Saudi national healthcare system and e-Health program, which, primarily in terms of business goals and requirements, falls into four main categories including care for patients; clinician quality; performance management; and transforming the governance and accountability of healthcare.

Meanwhile, during the Leadership Summit on day one, speakers from the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Italy will address the common factors impacting the role of Chief Investment Officers (CIO) on the enterprise level as well as the interoperability and implementation of HIT to counteract mass-scale pandemic outbreaks.

Bringing together more than 50 industry leaders from the Middle East, United Kingdom, USA and Europe to share their expert insights, HIMSS explores emerging trends, strategies and lessons from e-Health initiatives applied around the globe, to encourage the transformation of healthcare in regional and international countries represented by over 500 delegates at the event.

“HIMSS comprises a comprehensive line-up of international speakers and exhibitors within this highly specialized field,” Hoyt added.
“The extensive conference schedule which constitutes a leadership summit, health IT exhibition and industry solution sessions, renders the event is a clarion call for international and regional experts and decision-makers in the HIT field to assemble and work together to progress and develop the industry to the next level,” he said.

About HIMSS

HIMSS is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 51 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations are headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. HIMSS represents more than 44,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations.

HIMSS also includes over 570 corporate members and more than 170 not-for-profit organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care.

For more information, visit www.himssme.org

Media contact

Josse Dulka

Senior Account Executive

Tel: +9714 365 2711

Cell: +971 50 654 0229

E-mail: josse@smc-pr.com

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Dubai, UAE: A recent report published by the United Nations stated that “increasing women’s access to quality midwifery services has become a focus of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth.”  According to experts at the Midwifery Conference, set to take place on the 2-3 April 2012 at the Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress in Dubai, the main challenge for the UAE is the lack of a standardized model of midwifery which means that there are very different midwifery practices across the UAE. Ahead of the International Women’s Day on 8 March, the issue of maternal health is more important than ever.

For the second year, by combining the Arab Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Societies’ (AAOGS) annual meeting with the Obs-Gyne Congress, the largest ever gathering of obstetricians and gynaecologists the Middle East Region will take place from 1-3 April 2012 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Center, drawing more than 100 regional and international speakers from around the world.

The Midwifery Conference will be chaired by Dr. Grace Edwards, Assistant Director of Nursing and Clinical Programmes Manager at the Corniche Hospital in Abu Dhabi. As a member of the steering group for Regulation & Licensing at the newly established Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Dr. Edwards explains the importance of the existence of a Council for the Midwifery community in the UAE.

“The NMC is pulling together key leaders from all the Emirates to agree to a standard approach to regulations, licensing, education and scopes of practice within Midwifery. This is a major breakthrough for setting standards,” she says. “There is also a recently formed Midwives section of the Emirate Nurses Association which was accepted as a full member of the International Confederation of Midwives Council in Durban in 2011. As elected Vice President of the section, I am very proud of this achievement for the UAE.”

A recent Cochrane research review (the world wide gold standard for systematic reviews) demonstrated many benefits of midwifery care compared to medical care. The main benefits were a reduction in the use of regional analgesia, fewer episiotomies, fewer instrumental births, women feeling in more control during labour, more spontaneous vaginal births and better rates of breast feeding.

“Despite this, there is a worldwide shortage of midwives,” says Dr. Edwards. “The WHO estimates that an additional 350,000 midwives are needed to care for all pregnant women.  This shortage is also evident in Abu Dhabi, where all midwives are actively recruited from abroad.” Over 40 exhibiting companies from 10 countries will be present at the Informa Exhibitions organised event, which showcases healthcare technology and innovation from across the obs-gyne medical sector.  Top exhibiting companies include industry giants such GlaxoSmithKline, Buyer Healthcare, National Reference Laboratory and Ethicon Gynecare.

For more information on Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, please call +971 4 407 2743 or visit www.obs-gyne.com.

-END-
Note to Editors

About Informa Exhibitions:
For more information, please visit www.informaexhibitions.com.

About AAOGS:
For more information, please visit www.arabog.org.

About Corniche Hospital:
For more information, please visit www.cornichehospital.ae.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR and Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
inga.stevens@informa.com

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627 Emiratis have successfully finished a healthcare course launched by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha). Due to the directive submitted by General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces the first phase of the ‘Intelaqa’ program will help Emiratis who are looking for jobs in the healthcare sector. “We are pleased to announce the completion of the first phase of the ‘Intelaqa’ program, which is specifically designed for UAE nationals to become competitive in the labour market” said Mohammad Al Qemzi, HR manager at Seha. This course is designed give all candidate the suitable training for the public sector jobs. It includes two stages; the first relates training for competencies and technical skills, including the use of the ‘Cerner’ program used throughout Seha‘s facilities. The second one will take eight months of field work and evaluation.

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The Abu Dhabi Executive Council announced last week the beginning of building new medical and special needs centers and a rehabilitation centre in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Cleveland Clinic, one of the most prominent projects was approved which will focus on providing care in the fields of neurology, ophthalmology, and gastrointestinology. In the end of 2013, the 364-bed hospital will be launched offering patients the required medical treatment instead of travelling abroad.

The latest statistics of Haad showed that 33 hospitals and 674 centers and clinics are currently present across UAE. Also six special needs centers will be built including autism centers in the capital as well as in Al Ain. Waseem Fathallah, pediatric neurologist and consultant at the capital’s Mafraq Hospital said “There has long been a demand for more such facilities, especially as autistic children fare better if they receive specialized care as soon as possible”.

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Dr. Jadwiga Mierzejewska recently joined the team in Al Rawdah German Medical Center in Abu Dhabi as a Pediatrics Specialist. Dr. Mierzejewska has 24 years of professional experience as a pediatric doctor includes 18 years in Abu Dhabi. She has worked closely to newborn babies and treated children in pediatric outpatient clinics with a variety of chronic disabling conditions. Dr. Hans-Joachim Poessel, Managing Director for Al Rawdah German Medical Center revealed that Dr. Mierzejewska has an excellent knowledge of pediatric healthcare due to her previous position as Head of the Pediatric Department at the Gulf Diagnostics Center for the past 12 years.

He said “The Center has been working hard to secure a full time Pediatrician for our patients and we are excited to have Dr. Mierzejewska as part of our team of specialists. The skills and experience which Dr. Mierzejewska brings to our Center will greatly compliment the services we currently provide, while further meeting the requests from our patients and local residents”. The center was opened since 2007 offering high quality standard of medical treatments by professional doctors who use the latest German technology and equipment.

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Burjeel Hospital, a world-class medical institution in Abu Dhabi will be opened in the first quarter of 2012. Within this facility, many US, UK and Europe educated and trained doctors will make huge progress in delivering private healthcare in Abu Dhabi. This 202 bed Burjeel Hospital will contain over 30 specialties and will operate multiple Centers of Clinical Excellence. Also the hospital cooperated with Brussels University, an acknowledged leader in research and treatment for Reproductive Science, to offer the latest services in reproductive ailments including IVF. According this cooperation, Brussels University will build a special laboratory in the hospital to provide comprehensive services in Abu Dhabi.

Diabetes, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular and other specialties will be a partnership area between the hospital and other institutes of a similar standard from Europe and America. This hospital is considered the biggest in Abu Dhabi due to the size reaching 700,000 sq. ft., 202 Beds, 31 Day Care Beds, a 14 Bed ICU, 18 Bed Neonatal ICU, 10 Operation Rooms including one state of the art Hybrid, 5 Delivery Suites, 16 Emergency Beds and a 17 Bed Recovery Room.
“We, at the Burjeel Hospital, are pleased to introduce ourselves to the public as a hospital that is committed to provide clinical excellence in all the specialties we offer, the best world standard of care and a facility that is truly luxurious. Burjeel Hospital‘s aim is to change how people view health, by not just offering the best in treatment, but inculcating the concept of wellness in their lives” said Dr. Charles Stanford, CEO, Burjeel Hospital.

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An expert in Abu Dhabi announced that due to medical errors occurring regularly in the healthcare sector, healthcare industry is more dangerous than the airline and chemical manufacturing industries. “In comparison, the airline industry is considered ultra safe… with very few fatalities. The same holds true for the railroad industry,” stated Professor Nikolas Matthes, vice-president for Research and Development at Press Ganey Associates, US. He added “Healthcare is not only hazardous but (errors) happen a lot of time. The risk of something happening is more common”. During the third Annual SEHA Research Conference in the Capital, Matthes noted that medical error is the fifth leading cause of death in the US.

He stressed on the importance of providing advanced healthcare through assessing the structure (geographical location, doctors), clinical process (how care is organized) and outcomes (result of treatment), performance measurement, patient experience and the efficiency of care. He said “We are so caught in our day to day operations and challenges, and it is really hard to reflect about the way we provide our care and the way that we analyze data. What I hope you would do in the next two days is think hard how data can inform quality, introspection and comparison that can lead to better provision of healthcare”. The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) managed the two day conference which was attended by more than 600 delegates from the UAE and other countries.

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