Healthcare and healthcare management are going through a rapid transformation. Many emerging technologies will make the current way of working obsolete in the next few years, and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic is still reverberating across the healthcare industry.  

With a projected global recession and economic downturn, the financial outlook for most healthcare providers remains poor with even the top healthcare institutions reporting either drop in patient numbers or humongous losses. All these external factors make it ripe for fostering innovation, developing new models of healthcare delivery and allowing us rethink how we deliver care. 

Related: Data continues to transform healthcare in the region

In addition, this provides a great opportunity for personal career growth if one is able to navigate the coming tsunami of change which will be either enforced by the regulators, insurance providers, and government payers.  

If we study other sectors of the economy and the institutions that had to adapt to the change that was enforced on them via the advent of big tech companies, they have a common thread. These institutions adopted a data-centric approach and they were agile enough to adopt the latest technologies, bringing about radical changes in processes and mindsets to surmount challenges to continue to thrive. 

Related: Healthcare trends to watch in 2023

Dr. Siddiq Anwar, Consultant Nephrologist and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), Abu Dhabi

 

One of the reasons healthcare in general and healthcare technologies have not progressed with time is the safety-first culture in healthcare and regulations that have been developed to ensure patients do not come to harm. This historically has led to slow and incremental progress that has meant a clinician or a healthcare professional would not see much change in their career lifetime. Hence it was encouraged to acquire one skill and they could afford to practice this one skill till they retire 

Transforming healthcare has been a big challenge with many of the big tech companies’ efforts mostly focused on monetising healthcare data via wearables or focusing on developing cloud based AI solutions and technologies. 

One of the major limiting factors for transformation is the legacy processes in healthcare which are to ensure continuity, less need for retraining, and hence less risk of patient harm.  

Designing the framework  

The success we have had transforming care has been creating a framework from locally sourced talent and minds to help create an environment for change. As all the critical patient care processes were linked to the legacy systems, it was important to engage key stake holders, create a collaborative work environment and create an effective team that coalesces around a common mission. In my talk at Arab Health, I shared some use cases on how we transformed end stage renal care in SEHA, with Abu Dhabi Health Services Company bringing hundreds of millions of offline transactions online creating value and cost savings for the government of Abu Dhabi.  

Building a data-centric culture  

To overcome the challenge of dealing with archaic legacy systems and thinking, the key is to shift to data-centric thinking. This involves a data improvement plan by engaging the end users, an end user-led digital transformation, and realising the value through data-driven insights.  

One such example of the end-to-end digital transformation of the in-hospital acute kidney injury management pipeline leading to growth and value creation is Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), which won multiple national and international awards. This has led to the creation of the first POCUS academy in the Middle East region and the development of a regional centre of excellence for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in partnership with Baxter International at SSMC. These successes helped create a data-centric culture diffusing best practices in other domains and turning other high-value projects into high-velocity projects.  

Developing workforce for the Future of Work  

Innovation has been the dominant source of productivity gains over centuries. Healthcare delivery has become increasingly complex and technology driven.  This means we must train the current and future workforce to be agile, digital first, data-centric, and ready to embrace change to become change makers. It also means creating a culture at work to ensure innovation remains a way of life.  

Looking at details of the innovation and entrepreneurship track we created at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), we helped our learners and early-stage career physicians adapt and exploit the rapidly changing technologies to improve patient care. This also included creating a learning environment and ecosystem to foster interdisciplinary collaborations to solve complex medical problems to improve bedside clinical care. I will be sharing some examples of the work underway at SSMC where we have embraced new technologies and AI solutions to improve patient care.  

With a rapidly transforming healthcare sector, creating state of healthcare infrastructure, forward-thinking medical and academic institutions and friendly policies to drive innovation, the UAE has created a fertile ground to foster innovation and advance healthcare.  

This Arab Health 2023 is coming at the right time with huge latent energy to propel and transform healthcare. I look forward to meeting other healthcare leaders at upcoming events to learning from their experiences and develop fruitful collaborations to improve patient care and create growth and opportunities for everyone.  

 

Dr. Siddiq Anwar is the Consultant Nephrologist and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), Abu Dhabi. He will be speaking at the Quality Management conference at Arab Health 2023. 

 

Healthcare is a system concerned with maintaining and restoration of health by treatment and prevention of disease. This demands a workforce that consists of employees working towards the common goal of caring for the patients and communities with a deep sense of commitment. There is an indisputable expectation from healthcare workers to hone the right technical skills, medical knowledge and expertise, and also to be empathetic, compassionate and trustworthy.  

However recent studies and reports demonstrate a decline in empathy among healthcare professionals. The factors most often cited include long working hours, understaffing, inability to spend sufficient time with patients, increased pressure to meet operational targets, and ever-increasing workload. 

Related: Pandemic has exacerbated underlying mental health issues in healthcare workers

Even prior to COVID-19, persistent health workforce shortage limits the capacity to deliver essential health services in many countries. Already in 2016, WHO had projected a global shortfall of 18 million healthcare workers by 2030. This disparity is further widening due to the emotional impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers, along with mental health problems, stress and burnout, contributing to many health workers opting to leave the profession. 

Dr. Kavita Bhalekar, Director of Nursing HealthPlus specialty centre & Moorfields Eye Hospital, a Mubadala Health Partner

Related: Safeguarding healthcare workers

Notably, the pandemic has also been a catalyst signifying that patient safety is dependent on a workforce that is physically and psychologically safe, happy and gratified. The IHI Lucian Leape Institute 2013 report, ‘Through the eyes of workforce’, emphasises that “unless caregivers are given the protection, respect and support they need, they are more likely to make errors, fail to follow safe practices and not work well in teams”. Mutual respect is integral in a work environment if the workforce is to find joy and meaning in work. There are fundamentally three questions that each employee must be able to answer affirmatively to find joy and meaning in work: 

• Am I treated with dignity and respect by everyone? 
• Do I have what I need so I can make a contribution that gives meaning to my life? 
• Am I recognised and thanked for what I do? 

The vision of providing a safe and supportive work culture and building a resilient workforce requires commitment from leadership. There is no panacea, but every additional measure will be worth the investment. 

Establishing empathy at the workplace 

Empathy, as described by Simon Baron-Cohen, British Clinical Psychologist at the University of Cambridge, is like a universal solvent. Any problem immersed in empathy becomes soluble. Empathy at the workplace requires to be addressed at two levels: Empathetic Leadership and Empathetic Work Environment. 

Empathetic leadership 

Leadership requires to look beyond traditional management development strategies and foster critical skills for success. One of those skills is empathy – a vital leadership competency. Empathetic leadership, is the ability to understand the needs of others, and being aware of their feelings and thoughts.  

Leaders today need to be more “humane” and foster an environment of growth and well-being, recognizing the fact that employees are the greatest asset. Fortunately, Empathy is a trait that can be learned. Leaders are encouraged to: 

• Become present, genuine and authentic 
• Practice two-way communication 
• Practice gratitude 
• Mindfulness and compassionate 
• Humility 

Empathetic work environment 

Highly reliable organissations are characterised by continuous learning, improvement, teamwork and transparency. The employee wellness program is the driving force for creating an environment where employees thrive. It is also the cornerstone for making the organisations the best place to work.  

A wellness programme aligned with organisational values provides a physically and psychologically safe work environment. In fact, companies that prioritise employee well-being outperform the S&P 500 by 235 per cent (kaiser Permanente 2020). The board categories of support that a wellness programme may include are physical support, mental support, financial support and social support; which include programmes but not limited to: 

• Employee Assistance programme (EAP), 
• Caregivers’ recognition programme 
• Self-care workshops 
• Financial well-being workshop 
• Employee suggestion programme 
• Compassion fatigue workshop 
• Community volunteering programme 

Empathy promotes a resilient future 

Resilience, as per oxford dictionary is “the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness”. Another definition states it as “the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; Elasticity”.  

Having resilient employees that can adapt with agility and perform well in adverse situations is valuable to the organisation. Hence building resilience is a win-win situation for both employees and the organisation as well. Empathy in the workplace is positively related to a resilient workforce.  

Research shows that employees with a strong sense of well-being are 81 per cent less likely to look for new job, are more engaged in work, and are 41 per cent less likely to cause absenteeism problems (kaiser Permanente 2020). 

A 2018 Workplace Empathy Study uncovered empathy as a key ingredient in employee engagement and retention for the current generation of active workforce. The millennials, people born between 1980-2000, comprise the largest group of the active workforce. This group brings their own value-sets to the workplace. They are: 

• Team players and seek feedback from superiors 
• They are career motivated but expect support to succeed 
• They want to work with you, not for you 
• Recognition is important 
• Less bound to the role or employer 
• Mission driven and want a sense of purpose 

Training leaders on how to accommodate these differences will create a work environment of collaboration, engagement and increase retention. In conclusion, the current and future workforce will be attracted to organisations that provide an empathetic work environment but will be retained only by an empathetic leader. 

References available on request. 

 

Dr. Kavita Bhalekar, PhD, MBA, RN, CPHQ, is the Director of Nursing HealthPlus specialty centre & Moorfields Eye Hospital, a Mubadala Health Partner. She will be speaking at the Quality Management conference at Arab Health 2023. 

 

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Hayat Biotech, a joint venture between G42 and Chinese pharmaceutical group Sinopharm CNBG, and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) have signed a declaration of collaboration aimed at strengthening the emirate’s efforts in R&D, clinical research, and its manufacturing capabilities.

The collaboration comes in line with DoH’s ongoing efforts to elevate Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub for research and innovation in life sciences and a pioneering healthcare destination globally.

Related: Department of Health and Malaffi use AI to predict patients’ future risk of disease in Abu Dhabi

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Dr. Jamal Al Kaabi, DoH Undersecretary, and Nasser Al Yammahi, Deputy CEO at Hayat BioTech, in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH, and Liu Jingzhen, Chairman of Sinopharm CNBG, and Hongbin Cong, CEO at Hayat Biotech. This marks a commitment to collaborate on evidence-based clinical research, notably towards fighting infectious diseases. Additionally, the MoU covers infrastructure, strategy, data sharing, and Intellectual Property (IP) generation.

One of the agreement’s key areas is the knowledge transfer from experienced global players, as it also aims to inaugurate research laboratories and cement Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub for research and innovation, offering innovative manufacturing and commercialising solutions, while addressing local and international healthcare needs and challenges.

Related: Department of Health announces 95 per cent of Abu Dhabi-based hospitals now connected to Malaffi

Dr. Al Kaabi  said: “Under the directives of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi has become a regional hub for research and innovation — bringing together researchers, experts and organisations from all over the world to enhance international healthcare outcomes. The department continues to join forces with global industry leaders to exchange knowledge and experience for the benefit of the global community.

“Reiterating the emirate’s position as leader in life sciences and innovation, our partnership with Hayat Biotech and G42 seeks to elevate clinical research and manufacturing efforts as well as unlock the full potential of our national capabilities.”

Cong said: “Hayat Biotech is the product of a belief in the power of partnerships and collaboration. It started with G42 and Sinopharm CNBG joining forces to create the company, as we saw the strength of our combined areas of expertise. Now, our agreement with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi is a clear demonstration of the crucial governmental support needed to achieve the nation’s ambitions in the healthcare sector and the biotechnology industry. This MoU will leverage on technologies and frameworks within the healthcare sector, to fully take advantage of the industry’s potential in the country. We are excited for the upcoming period and this new partnership and are we looking forward to announcing further progresses soon.”

A homegrown UAE company, Hayat Biotech has vowed to support the development of the healthcare sector in the country. The signing of the agreement with DoH will emphasise the company’s support by expanding an area of collaboration on the discovery, development and commercialisation of pharmaceutical drugs and medical products. This process will be supported by a knowledge transfer approach, stemming from Sinopharm’s strong experience, that spans more than 100 years.

As part of its ambition to become a key regional and international player in the biotechnology industry, Hayat Biotech continues to broaden its international presence by consolidating its national efforts, further highlighted by a milestone agreement with DoH that reinforces its competitive advantage. On a global level, Hayat Biotech continues its relentless efforts to expand partnerships, with its Contract Manufacturing Organisation status. 

With a strategic location and state-of-the-art storage, and an efficient supply chain, Hayat Biotech is well-positioned to be the ideal partner for global biotechnology organisations. It offers clients close proximity to their regional market through capacity sharing of its 200 million vials a year factory in the KEZAD, Abu Dhabi, and its plant in Serbia, with a capacity of 30 million vials a year.
 

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It has been just a couple of days since The World Health Organization (WHO) urged China to share more data regarding its management of the COVID-19 outbreak. The coronavirus variant BF.7 has brought the Asian giant to a standstill, with its government trying desperately to control its spread.

The virus has also been causing a stir in other parts of the world. Towards the end of the second week of January, authorities in the UAE  announced 69 Covid-19 cases and 103 recoveries. However, no deaths have been reported. In response to over 14,601 active patients in the UAE alone, countries like India are warning their citizens in the Middle East to follow social distancing protocols and wear masks while returning home destinations.

Related: Latest COVID spike raises alarm: What's next?

This raises global questions over whether Covid-19 is still an emergency, three years from first being declared one. This time, due to the new sub-variant of the virus, XBB.1.5.

Commonly known as Kraken, XBB.1.5, is a hybrid of the previous strains of Omicron, BA.2.75, and BA.2.10.1. Its name comes from Kraken, a mythological sea monster. A WHO spokesperson has reassured the public that scientists often give names to new variants of viruses as they mutate but that they shouldn't worry about it. However, the spokesperson has also urged people to continue taking the same precautions they previously did.

How are different governments responding?

Most governments in the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia encourage continuing normalcy while being cautious. This fact becomes apparent as the Saudi Arabian government expects that this year's Haj pilgrimage will return to pre-pandemic levels. International travel also continues without halts. However, several countries like Qatar, India, South Korea, Greece, Spain, and the USA now require incoming travellers to furnish negative COVID-19 test reports. This test needs to be conducted within 48 hours of arrival as a precaution.

Moreover, there are efforts to amplify vaccination efforts across different countries. For example, Saudi Arabia's health ministry has announced the rollout of an updated COVID-19 booster shot. The Pakistan Prime Minister has also stepped up vaccinations for children nationwide.

Thus, different governments are taking steps to contain any eventual spread of XBB.15 without halting everyday life.

Are healthcare professionals prepared for Kraken?

Globally, healthcare providers are ready for the new variant's eventual spread. But, as most people have received their vaccines, and others have been urged to take their booster shots, healthcare professionals are optimistic about sailing through the current tide of coronavirus.

In addition, a recent study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that those who experienced a mild case of Covid-19 usually get better in a year without any long-term effects. Indeed, there is much to feel reassured about today. However, healthcare professionals may experience increased pressure and burnout due to growing patient visits to hospitals and clinics.

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Kinzal Jalan is an experienced B2B content marketer with demonstrated expertise in Health, SaaS and Technology.

 

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The medical device industry still has a long way to go when it comes to 'going green', but a wave of change is underway with an increasing number of manufacturers shifting towards sustainable and innovative methods to conserve energy and reduce their environmental impact.

Sustainable medical equipment can be advantageous for businesses in terms of cost savings, investor attraction, greater brand recognition, and gaining a competitive advantage, in addition to being better for the environment and appealing to consumers. Medical device manufacturers must consider sustainability at the outset of the design phase and take the equipment's whole lifecycle into account if they are to gain these and other advantages.

Related: Why sustainability is more important to pharmaceutical companies now more than ever

According to Hamid Dean Refai, General Manager at WebOps Global, several countries are setting targets to help make the world a more sustainable place by 2050. “Some of these plans and targets are ambitious but thanks to the advent of progressive new technological developments, they now have the potential to become reality. Technology is fundamentally changing the way we live and work, and in recent years, sustainability has been a key driver of technological advancement. Today, as the world faces a series of unprecedented challenges, technology can play a crucial role in building a more sustainable future.”

The healthcare industry is a significant source of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for 4.4 per cent of net emissions worldwide. While some of this is produced directly by healthcare institutions, more than 70 per cent of relevant emissions are produced across the supply chain. This is notable during the creation and disposal of pharmaceuticals and medical device products, as well as the use of energy throughout the entire supply chain and direct delivery of care.

Related: It's time for green health

Furthermore, approximately five million tonnes of garbage are produced annually by hospitals in the US alone. Despite having recycling or reprocessing systems in place, there are numerous obstacles that prevent eligible material from being disposed of responsibly.

“Technological advances in health, business, and the environment provide organisations and communities with a wealth of opportunities through the introduction of new jobs and by making operational processes more streamlined, for instance. Environmental sustainability helps to maintain our way of life, as well as social and economic requirements. For example, green technology such as solar panels and wind turbines can help to replace practices and methods that damage or deplete natural resources with more sustainable and efficient ones,” says Refai.

Some green tech innovations have already made their way to the market. For example, the Welch Allyn's Green Series is one of the first medical exam lights in the US to use energy-efficient, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) rather than halogen lamps. They emit brilliant white light with a colour temperature of 5,500K and have a lifespan of 50,000 hours without needing a new bulb.

The Holst Centre, an independent open-innovation R&D centre, and the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec) nanoelectronics research division, on the other hand, created a wireless, battery-free, two-channel EEG system in 2008 that is primarily powered by body heat and light.

In addition, the effective and self-contained Neptune 2 waste management system is one of Stryker's eco-friendly products. Due to the dual-canister design of the system, additional containers and frequent cleaning of waste containers are not as necessary. Additionally, it cuts down on the time spent by healthcare professionals handling waste.

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An essential component of infection control in a hospital setting is environmental cleaning (EC). In patient rooms, porous and nonporous surfaces like mattresses and bed rails are susceptible to bacterial contamination caused by dangerous pathogens like clostridium difficile and antibiotic-resistant organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and various species of acinetobacter. Permanent structures such as floors and fixtures are also at risk.

Cleaning, disinfecting, and monitoring procedures used in a healthcare setting are collectively referred to as "environmental cleaning”.

Related: Highlighting effective elimination of pathogens

Cleaning these surfaces properly is a crucial component of healthcare providers’ larger plan to lower the incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, there is limited agreement over the best methods for EC. The physical cleaning of surfaces and the use of a disinfectant are both essential for lowering the microbiological load on surfaces. 

The spread of infections should not only be contained within hospital spaces, but also expand to all environments. To improve public health, a study conducted by the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), in partnership with the Dubai Police and Bond University in Queensland, demonstrated the importance of including mobile phone and smartwatch sanitisation in infection control protocols around the world.

Related: Leveraging nanotechnology to transform the disinfection industry

“Our phones are never far from our sides; we take them everywhere with us. We need to have a habit of regularly cleaning our mobile phones and smartwatches as much as we do our own hands,” explained Professor Abiola Senok, Chair of Basic Medical Sciences and Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at MBRU’s College of Medicine.

Inanimate objects tend to host nosocomial infections for a long time. For instance, gram-positive bacteria can survive for several weeks to months on dry surfaces. It has also been demonstrated that C. difficile spores can live in the environment for up to five months.

Researchers from the MBRU and the Dubai Police also looked at the level of microbiological contamination on smart gadgets in an emergency care unit. Using next-generation metagenomics sequencing technology, samples from mobile phones, smartwatches, and healthcare workers' hands were examined to help researchers determine which microorganisms are polluting these gadgets.

“Our research findings showed that organisms identified from the hands of healthcare workers were also detected on their mobile phones and smartwatches,” commented Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Rashed Alghafri, Director of the International Center for Forensic Sciences in the General Department of Forensic Evidence and Criminology at Dubai Police.

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