Spend management company JAGGAER, has underscored the need for supply chain risk mitigation procedures following the difficulties surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine distribution experienced in Europe and America.

Limited capacity, shortage of supplies, lack of coordination, national security issues, misinformation, vaccine damage, and logistical difficulties have all contributed to the challenges faced by countries around the world, according to Thomas Dieringer, JAGGAER’s President for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Related: Optimising the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain

According to data tracked by Bloomberg, some 4.25 million doses are being given daily, with Israel, the UAE, Seychelles and the UK leading the way in terms of doses per 100 people.

“With any supply chain, it is vital to be aware of the risks and everything that could go wrong,” says Dieringer. “A supply shortage to make the vaccine has perhaps been perhaps one of the major issues. Distribution has been hampered by the drug makers’ inability to produce the number of vaccines initially planned.

Related: COVID-19 vaccines: The most precious medications in the world?

“The vaccine comprises several components and raw materials that have been subject to a fragile supply chain, built at record speed. Understandably, delays have occurred as a result of setting up supply chains while still developing the vaccine,” he adds.

Managing supply chain

JAGGAER has revealed several critical supply chain mitigation steps to address the issue. These revolve around business impact analysis, assessment and monitoring of existing suppliers, reduction in the concentration of supply, working hand-in-hand with suppliers, and proactively managing supply chain threats.

“Understanding when the supply chain has been impacted, and indeed what suppliers have been impacted is crucial. However, perhaps even more important is a system that supports finding alternatives to ensure any disruption is minimised," says Dieringer.

The company further revealed the need for greater visibility into supply, not just immediate sources such as distributors, but visibility into upstream suppliers of materials and components.

In turn, distributors need to understand the demand from their customers better and share this knowledge with manufacturers. The crisis illustrating the need for broader visibility into both demand and supply across the entire system.

JAGGAER also underscored the need for greater cooperation at a local, regional, and international level, in particular, to develop contingency plans to prepare for the next crisis.

"Although none of us could have prepared for COVID-19, one thing we have seen is those businesses who invested in procurement technology are those that have been able to adapt quickest, pivot and ensure business continuity,” Dieringer says.

As with nearly every aspect of life in 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) made for a unique, virtual Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting. While RSNA 2020 still showcased its usual lineup of major product launches, research findings, and technologies, COVID-19 was the main story of the conference. The health crisis has stimulated a groundswell of innovation in the medical community, including advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, telemedicine, product launches, and new healthcare infrastructure. Such innovations were featured at RSNA 2020 and provide insight to the outlook of the healthcare industry as we enter 2021.

A confluence of factors promoting the rapid adoption of healthcare AI is expected to make 2021 a pivotal year for the technology. Recent improvements to the diagnostic and time saving capabilities of AI products offer healthcare providers practical solutions to real-world healthcare challenges. In recent years, AI has had an increasingly high profile at RSNA, becoming a major theme of the conference. This was certainly the case in 2020 as many new AI solutions were on display. For example, CureMetrix showcased the results of a study that found that its AI software improved radiologists’ diagnostic accuracy and specificity by 25% and 34% respectively, and reduced the time required to read normal exams when interpreting mammograms (Source: CureMetrix). AI software is pivotal in nations with a shortage of experienced radiologists and will drive growth for the mammography equipment market. Omdia forecasts that after a sharp decline in 2020, mammography equipment revenue will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 7% from 2020 to 2024.

Related: The total addressable market for healthcare AI is vast but remains largely untapped

While the organic expansion of the healthcare AI market was projected, the unforeseen health crisis caused by COVID-19 has acted as a significant accelerant. Omdia estimated that COVID-19 will increase healthcare AI revenue in 2021, resulting in an overall 84% year-over-year (YoY) growth, representing a change of 26% YoY from pre-COVID-19 estimates. Efficient and effective COVID-19 diagnoses are of upmost importance during the pandemic, which has accelerated the development of AI software in the healthcare sector.  Further government investment in AI-based drug and vaccine research, medical imaging, and machine learning tools for patient screening, triage, and monitoring is also expected. At RSNA 2020, RADLogics showcased its latest iteration of AI solutions designed to detect symptoms of COVID-19 from CT and X-ray images, two modalities which have been heavily relied upon during the pandemic (Source: RADLogics). As a result of the increased demand caused by COVID-19, Omdia estimated CT and general radiography X-ray equipment revenue grew by 5% and 14% respectively in 2020, while overall medical imaging revenue declined by 8%.

Figure 1: COVID-19 forecast effect on AI software industries

Related: Collaboration is key to the widespread adoption of AI for healthcare

Source: Omdia

Collaboration between AI vendors, healthcare equipment manufacturers, and healthcare providers are set to drive further AI development and adoption in 2021 and beyond. At RSNA 2020, NVIDIA announced the launch of the Inception Alliance program which will facilitate partnerships between medical imaging AI startups, GE Healthcare, and Nuance (Source: NVIDIA). The program aims to fast-track development of AI for healthcare and link software development with the medical imaging community. Collaborations like the Inception Alliance will help healthcare AI take the next step in its expansion as advanced technological developments will be guided by real-world healthcare challenges.

To reach its full potential in the healthcare market, AI technology adoption must overcome daunting barriers including information technology (IT) and workflow integration. At the annual meeting, GE Healthcare featured advancements to its Edison AI platform that help address these challenges. Not only does Edison offer AI applications to improve diagnostics and workflow efficiency, the platform also includes the Edison Open AI Orchestrator, which simplifies the implementation of AI into radiology workflows (Source: GE Healthcare). Recent developments around another AI adoption barrier, regulation, may also drive additional healthcare AI acceptance in 2021. In its action plan for medical AI published in January 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlines its strategy to collaborate with the medical community to develop effective methodologies to evaluate and monitor algorithms. If the FDA’s plan is effective, it will provide clear process and guidelines for AI approval.

The lack of access to adequate medical care predated COVID-19 and remains a major challenge for communities – especially rural and impoverished – around the world. While COVID-19 intensified many existing healthcare challenges – including worker shortages – it also acted as a catalyst to drive progress in delivering more effective healthcare to patients. One of the key trends observed at RSNA 2020 was the rapid acceleration and adoption of digital transformation technologies in the healthcare industry. However, the transformation process represents several challenges which must be overcome; these include:

• High cost and complexity of integrating new technologies
• Lack of compatibility with legacy platforms
• Data protection and cybersecurity
• Compliance with a dynamic regulatory environment

Irrespective of these challenges, healthcare environments have seen an acceleration in the adoption of cloud-based enterprise imaging platforms. Such technologies have numerous advantages, including improved disaster recovery, budgeting flexibility, and a reduction in hospital IT staff support. The increasing demand for medical imaging will necessitate hospitals to employ a forward-thinking approach to upgrading enterprise imaging ecosystems. As part of Omdia’s 2020 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Enterprise Insights, over 300 healthcare ICT professionals were surveyed about digital transformation. These healthcare providers identified government initiatives, internal business demands, and partner agencies adopting digital services as the top three drivers for digital transformation.

Figure 2: ICT Enterprise Insights – Digital transformation drivers

Source: Omdia

The pandemic has also transformed the medical imaging work environment. Radiology departments have started to capture a large volume of new patient data as they deal with high volumes of COVID-19 cases. Increasing data collection has driven additional value in evaluating metrics, such as patient outcome efficacy and system return on investment (ROI). Data science deployed by hospitals is forecast to aid diagnosis and treatment of patients across all healthcare specialties.

At RSNA 2020, Philips Healthcare launched its Radiology Operations Command Center (ROCC), a digital platform that aims to serve as a centralized hub to improve communication and data exchange between radiologists, administrators, technologists, and IT personnel across multiple imaging sites (Source: Philips). In 2021, Omdia forecasts the continued development of products in this space from multinational healthcare technology manufacturers, as they aim to streamline healthcare workflows and address radiologists’ challenges.

Telemedicine has become a vital technology in the world of healthcare, especially during the pandemic. Advancements in telemedicine technology have improved patients’ access to remote healthcare providers, helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Regulations on the use of telemedicine have been eased, as demand for the technology surged in 2020 in response to the pandemic. With broader utilization of telemedicine, demand is expected to remain strong in 2021 and beyond, as patients benefit from leveraging diagnosis and care remotely and healthcare providers build telemedicine services to accommodate the pandemic environment that establish new business models and generate alternative revenue streams. Telemedicine can yield earlier detection and diagnosis, improved patient outcomes and satisfaction, and lower cost of care. These benefits are a product of the technology’s ability to improve and streamline patients’ access to quality healthcare by enabling examinations to be conducted from home or local facilities. In the case of medical imaging, radiologists can remotely guide medical staff at point-of-care imaging facilities during scan acquisition and then review scans remotely.

Figure 3: Benefits of telemedicine

Source: Omdia

The ongoing success of the technology is largely dependent on the development of new telemedicine solutions and applications; a number were showcased at RSNA 2020. For example, Konica Minolta introduced its Exa Gateway, which is a teleradiology platform that connects remote radiologists with healthcare practices, utilizing facilities’ existing picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) to minimize cost (Source: Konica Minolta). Additionally, USARad announced a new patent for a decentralized method designed to enhance the telemedicine workflow by matching radiologists with healthcare facilities and AI vendors (Source: Cision PRWeb). Solutions like these enhance the benefits of telemedicine and will help to cement the technology’s place in the healthcare market even after the pandemic.

While COVID-19 halted physical events in 2020, virtual exhibitions enabled healthcare equipment manufacturers to feature latest innovations.  Like most years, RSNA featured the introduction of numerous medical imaging product lines, including the following from top players:

Figure 4: Medical imaging product launches from several top manufacturers at RSNA 2020

Source: Omdia

Many of these launches, such as multiple C-arm and point-of-care ultrasound systems, represent efforts to develop and deploy ambulatory care systems as part of an industry-wide theme of increasing patients’ access to medical imaging. Point-of-care medical imaging improves patient outcomes and by increasing the likelihood of early detection and diagnosis and reduces patients’ costs for care. Healthcare providers also benefit by increasing patient throughput and by utilizing lower-cost systems for simpler cases, which frees up hospital space and systems for advanced cases.

In 2021, Omdia forecasts the continued development of bedside technology and ambulatory care systems aimed at easing the burden on hospitals that are struggling to provide critical care to COVID-19 patients.

Research presented at RSNA displayed the tremendous amount that the medical community has learned about COVID-19, including studies on comorbidities and non-pulmonary complications and award-winning findings on CT being used to detect COVID-19 (Source: RSNA). Research and experience have enabled healthcare providers to improve approaches to diagnosing and treating COVID-19 patients and manufacturers quickly played their part by providing resources and tools, many of which were on display at RSNA. Solutions ranged from point-of-care medical imaging equipment to 3D-printed nasal swabs and predictive COVID-19 algorithms.  Out of necessity, the pandemic forced the industry to pursue and invest in new technologies like AI and telehealth, which will continue to gain prevalence and become standard in the “new normal” for the healthcare industry in 2021 and beyond. The pandemic also exacerbated the industry’s preexisting issues, including workforce shortages, strained healthcare provisions, and burnout. Following the worst of the pandemic, the medical community and governments will need to seek to address these issues, futureproof against other health crises, and treat the long-term medical complications of COVID-19.

On December 8, 2020, the UK began administering the western world’s first COVID-19 vaccination and the US followed suit the next week. While effective global distribution will be difficult, the development of vaccines within a year of the pandemic beginning is a tremendous feat and signaled the beginning of the end of the pandemic. In 2021, the healthcare industry will look to settle into the “new normal”, but will face sizeable headwinds, including heightened budget constraints following the overextension of resources during the pandemic. 2020 served as proof of the healthcare industry’s immense capabilities for ingenuity through collaboration and innovation, which will continue to be in high demand in 2021.

For more insights from Omdia, click here.

Abu Dhabi’s HOPE Consortium has announced the inaugural World Immunisation & Logistics Summit, a major international gathering of front runners and senior decision-makers leading the charge in the collective human effort against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the international speakers will be Dr.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO, Mark Suzman, CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Stanley C. Erck, President and CEO, Novavax. Register for the event here. 

The summit is organised by the HOPE Consortium, an Abu Dhabi led public-private partnership responsible for the mass distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to the global population. It will take place virtually on March 29 and 30, and will further cement Abu Dhabi’s pioneering role in the fight against COVID-19.

The summit provides an open forum for global leaders to discuss the logistical challenges associated with vaccine transport and distribution – from production to patient - with the aim of finding scalable, real-world solutions to achieving mass and broad worldwide vaccine delivery and vaccination.

The two-day summit will see the participation of over 1,000 attendees from all corners of the globe representing governments, key multi-national NGOs, IGOs, pharmaceutical and global supply chain players, as well as leading academics.

The delegates will tackle key logistical and technological challenges facing global supply chains and associated emerging trends – including the rise of vaccine nationalism – to ensure equitable and rapid delivery of the life-saving vaccines at this critical juncture facing the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of all humankind.

A virtual exhibition alongside the summit will offer attendees one-to-one networking and interactive exhibition booths to engage with key local and international stakeholders.

H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, Chairman, HOPE Consortium Executive Committee, said: “The World Immunisation & Logistics Summit is part of Abu Dhabi’s continuous efforts in the global fight against COVID-19, and is a clarion call to the global community, key public and private sector leaders and experts to join hands in solving the largest and most complex logistical effort ever to be undertaken in human history.

“As we pass the pandemic’s one-year mark, it is incumbent on the international health and logistics players to overcome this enormous challenge through an open forum that brings about scalable, sustainable and equitable vaccine distribution solutions, delivering help and hope to all those in need.

“The global community is united in its need for solutions and through this summit, Abu Dhabi and the HOPE Consortium are seeking to leverage the power of human will and ingenuity to combat the virus and draw the COVID-19 era to a close.” 

H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Alkaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Hope is Abu Dhabi’s message to the world. Combating this pandemic is not impossible, and we are confident that life as we all know it will go back to normal through our relentless work with all concerned parties to provide and transfer billions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to all parts of the world. This stems from our belief in Abu Dhabi’s vital role in eliminating the virus and limiting its spread, and its position as a global logistics centre.

“Through the summit, local and international leaders and decision-makers, who are committed to facing the pandemic, will come together to discuss logistical challenges and cooperate to achieve a comprehensive and fair distribution of these vaccines around the world."

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports, and Chairman of the Operations Steering Committee, HOPE Consortium, said: “In assembling a global alliance, the World Immunisation & Logistics Summit reflects our leadership vision and its efforts to find a comprehensive supply-chain solution that touches billions of lives for the better.”

“Keeping pace with an ever-evolving virus is a race against time that requires a combined strategic response from global experts across a broad spectrum of domains and industries. The summit offers Abu Dhabi Ports and our partners an unprecedented opportunity to not only help solve emerging cold chain and logistical challenges, but to work hand-in-hand with the world’s leading health experts to deliver mass volumes of vaccines to a wide range of geographic locations at the right time and in the right ambient environments.”

A key element in the two-day summit’s proceedings will centre on the revolutionary role that technology is playing in enabling end-to-end, safe, secure supply chain operations that protect vaccine integrity throughout its journey.

Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, Head of Digital Cluster at Abu Dhabi Ports and CEO, Maqta Gateway, said: “I am very pleased that Abu Dhabi is hosting this major global summit, which we hope will be a milestone moment in our collective effort against the pandemic.

“We know that strategically solving logistical issues relating to the physical movement of the vaccines must be undertaken in lockstep with fully integrated digital solutions that ensure the full supply chain transparency and compliance. By exploring technological solutions such as blockchain in addressing global supply chain challenges, we will help provide humanity with the certainty that distributed vaccines are safe and secure.”

Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Sales and Cargo - Etihad Aviation Group, added: “As a founding partner of the HOPE Consortium, this inaugural summit further cements Abu Dhabi’s position as a global logistics hub for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The collaboration of leading experts and decision makers from around the world will further elevate the discussion on finding additional solutions to the largest challenge the sector has faced.

“Etihad Cargo continues to play a vital role in the global distribution solution and leverages its expertise in pharmaceutical logistics and its global network to support the development of an international and collaborative solution with all stakeholders and partners.

“A number of critical shipments of COVID-19 vaccines and other medical supplies have already been carried through Etihad Cargo’s IATA CEIV certified PharmaLife product, utilising a temperature-sensitive cargo solution for between +25⁰C and -80⁰C across the network.”

Rashed Saif Al Qubaisi, CEO, Rafed, said: “The first edition of the summit will serve as a meeting point for global stakeholders to discuss the future dissemination of COVID-19 vaccines. As we continue to successfully roll them out in the UAE, we must also look abroad to see how the strong bonds we have created at home can ultimately benefit our neighbours, the wider region and the rest of the world.

“By managing the contracts and finances for all healthcare and medical supplies, as well as the logistics for the COVID-19 vaccines, Rafed has been at the distribution epicenter for the HOPE Consortium’s immunisation efforts. From receiving millions of doses from manufacturers to the housing and supply to hospitals and clinics across the UAE, Rafed’s state-of-the-art facilities have provided the Consortium with central locations to streamline the delivery of the vaccine.

“Rafed’s Distribution Centre is powered by cold storage technology enabling us to cater for all temperature bands ranging from 2-8ºC storage to - 80ºC deep freezer capabilities for vaccine storage and handling.”

Richard Ettl, CEO, SkyCell, highlighted: “Global collaboration is crucial to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and the HOPE Consortium is a great example of a public private partnership. However, there must be bigger collaboration in play to really make the cold supply chain work seamlessly between governments, vaccine manufacturers, NGOs, airlines and airports as well as packaging companies who are all coming together to ensure the process is as safe as possible. The World Immunisation & Logistics Summit brings together the thought leaders of the vaccine supply chain so that we can achieve our common goal - and so that more people can get protection from this virus.”

Comprising of leading Abu Dhabi entities, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Ports, Etihad Cargo, Rafed, SkyCell, and Maqta Gateway, as well as a wide body of global logistics players, the HOPE Consortium is developing capacity to transport, store, and distribute 18 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of 2021.

The public-private partnership has become a growing international movement which is broadening its international transport and delivery capabilities by attracting new partners, including Agility, Aramex, Bolloré Logistics, CEVA Logistics, DB Schenker, DHL, FedEx Express, Hellmann, Kuehne + Nagel, MICCO Logistics, RSA Global, and UPS.

For more information click here.

World Kidney Day may not be as widely acknowledged as other disease awareness campaigns, but it certainly deserves our attention. Kidney disease is a silent disease in the early stages, meaning diagnosis is often late and can result in life-long complications that require dialysis as a last resort. On March 11th, the global World Kidney Day initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys and keeping them healthy. The organisation behind World Kidney Day also aims to raise awareness around preventive behaviours, risk factors, and how to live with kidney disease.

Kidney disease is caused when damage occurs to the kidney’s blood vessels, which affects their ability to function properly. The most common cause of this damage is diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. With such a high prevalence of comorbidities directly contributing to its prevalence, kidney disease rates are believed to be increasing at an alarming rate in the UAE.

Related: How Malaffi is supporting the coordination and continuity of cancer care

The most common type of kidney disease, affecting between 3 and 5 per cent of the UAE population, is chronic kidney disease. It is a complex disease that is long-term and doesn’t improve over time. Chronic kidney disease sees the gradual loss of kidney function as a result of damage that can be caused by a number of different conditions, with the most common contributor being diabetes. Managing the disease can be difficult and if the damage gets worse over time, the kidneys can fail completely, leaving the patient dependent on life-long dialysis or requiring a transplant. According to the Emirates Nephrology Society, around 1,600 people in the country undergo regular dialysis, and concerningly, this is increasing year on year.

With as many as one in 10 adults globally suffering from chronic kidney disease, learning to manage such a serious and long-term illness can present a challenge to the patient, and those close to them. Whilst patients can undergo many aspects of normal life without hindrance, treatment pathways of such complex conditions are unique and often, long-term. Patients may need to manage numerous doctor visits, nurse follow-ups, and potentially dialysis. Regular tests, assessments and counselling, performed by a range of caregivers at many different facilities, will become a normal part of life and are essential to maintaining kidney function and reducing the risk of disease progression.

Related: Malaffi to use predictive analytics to improve health of Abu Dhabi residents

The theme for World Kidney Day (WKD) in 2021 is ‘living well with kidney disease’, with the organisers turning the focus this year to the effective management of symptoms and enabling patient empowerment. Addressing the impact that living with a chronic disease has on the patient and their quality of life is a priority for the UAE’s leadership and addressing lifestyle-related disease remains a key performance indicator of the UAE National Agenda.

An integral part of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to its many patients living with kidney disease is the role of the health information exchange platform, Malaffi.

Malaffi is a technology that allows healthcare providers to safely and securely, access and share a patient’s important, up-to-date medical record. Previously, the information and results obtained at each patient visit were not easily shared and had to be physically tracked down and requested, interrupting the care continuum. Continuity of this type of long-term care is extremely important and can have a direct impact on the successful management of the disease and improving the patient’s quality of life. In response to the theme of WKD 2021 – continuity of care really does help patients to ‘live well with kidney disease’. 

Further explaining the vital role that data sharing has in the management of kidney disease, Dr Maisa Abdalla, General Practitioner, Urgent Care Facility, Kanad Hospital, explains how the health information exchange is critical in patients admitted to hospital with underlying conditions.

“If a patient is admitted to hospital, and medical teams aren’t aware of their medical history and underlying conditions such as kidney disease, medication can be given in error and have severe consequences. In particular, patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease often experience severe complications when prescribed relatively common medications, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. This interaction can cause acute kidney injury, also known as acute renal failure, which is a sudden episode of kidney damage as a result of various factors including an adverse drug interaction and accounts for around 40 per cent of all acute kidney injuries seen within hospitals.

Dr Maisa Abdalla

“With access to a patient’s important medical history and having detailed information on chronic conditions such as kidney disease and diabetes, medical teams can avoid potentially dangerous interactions. As an example, I recently saw a young patient that complained of abdominal pain, yet she did not report any pre-existing medical conditions. When I checked Malaffi, I saw that she had previously been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Having access to this information prevented me from prescribing a pain killer that would have made her condition worse. Instant access to the patient's medical history empowered me to make safe decisions, provide the best possible care to the patient and supports the continued, effective management of care for patients with chronic diseases.”

While Dr Siddiq Anwar, Consultant Nephrologist, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company – SEHA, said: “Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in hospitals is common and expensive to manage. In addition, if the elderly and those with cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes develop AKI they are at subsequent risk of recurrent AKI and progressive renal failure.

“Presentation of kidney disease in the UAE is very different compared to the West due to our unique demographics. Hence, local data is needed to design our renal care and to optimise renal healthcare delivery here in the UAE.

Dr Siddiq Anwar

“Malaffi with its bigdata collated from all Abu Dhabi healthcare providers can help us advance our knowledge in hospital AKI and help us to develop local solutions to local problems. We at SEHA look forward to engaging with Malaffi and our regional stakeholders to help the DOH improve healthcare in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi with data-driven decisions.

Dr Rahul Goyal, Senior Vice President of Clinical Engagement and Adoption, Malaffi, concluded: “At Malaffi we are committed to supporting the Department of Health and tackling the most pressing healthcare needs in our community, including the burden of chronic disease. Malaffi supports our healthcare teams as they work tirelessly to help patients with chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease to manage their conditions and improve their quality of everyday life. As well as supporting the continuity of management of diseases, Malaffi will assist the Department of Health to perform population health analytics to address the challenge of chronic and lifestyle conditions. As part of the digital transformation of the healthcare system in the Emirate, technology will increasingly have a role in predicting disease patterns, reducing risk factors, improving prevention and ultimately, improving quality of life.”

Dr Rahul Goyal

Arab Health and Medlab Middle East, the largest exhibitions for the healthcare and laboratory industry in the MENA region, generated more than AED 3.7 billion worth of business during the 2020 edition of the show, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%. The exhibitions also contributed over AED 389 million to the Dubai economy through direct and indirect spending from visitors and exhibitors.

Furthermore, according to recent research by Informa Markets, 85% of healthcare and laboratory key visitors surveyed stated they would like to attend live events again. This underscores the pent-up demand to attend and support the local economy when visiting Arab Health and Medlab Middle East on its return to the Dubai World Trade Centre, 21-24 June, which this year will be under the show theme of ‘United by Business’.

Related: Arab Health and Medlab Middle East announce dates for new live and digital event

Wouter Molman, Executive Vice President for Informa Markets, said: “Our survey results clearly indicate an appetite to return to a physical event format, with face-to-face networking at the forefront of what our key audiences are looking for. The message from our participants has been unequivocal. They want to be present at the event and feel safe doing so, thanks to the UAE's measures.

“Based on our research, we can safely expect both events to attract 61,000 visitors, roughly half of which will attend the in-person event, with the other half attending the event online. Having seen the successes of events recently run in Dubai, we are confident in delivering a strong and successful live, in-person event, with good MENA representation.

Related: Omnia Health Magazine February – March 2021

“The UAE government’s commitment to vaccinate the population and facilitate a safe environment for people to come together while adhering to all safety protocols has been a defining factor in the confidence to get back to business. We are in one of the few countries in the world where this is possible as a result of the incredible government work.”

As part of Informa Markets commitment to provide the highest hygiene levels at all events by ensuring attendees and staff safety, the company has launched Informa AllSecure. The enhanced measures include 35 guidelines covering all aspects of cleaning and hygiene, social distancing measures, and the use of PPE, screening, and a track and trace in conjunction with local authorities.

“We created Informa AllSecure for two reasons. The first was to boost confidence within the events industry, while the second was to ensure that everyone attending one of our physical events can connect, learn, and safely do business,” said Molman.

"Our exhibitions are not only conducive to generating deals amongst participants; they also have a huge impact on the local economy and support industries such as tourism and hospitality, F&B, and aviation. We are all truly ‘United by Business’”, he added.

A host of government initiatives since the onset of COVID-19 has fast tracked the countries recovery and permitted the opening of hotels and exhibitions before elsewhere in the world. As such, the latest STR data revealed the Middle East’s hotel sector was a top performer globally during 2020, with an average occupancy of 45.9%. One of the best performing countries was the UAE, with an average occupancy of 51.7% and an average daily rate (ADR) of over AED 418. Although these figures were 29.3% & 16.5% down year-on-year, the return of physical exhibitions will help buoy optimism among hoteliers.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: “It has been vital that we have the best policies in place and that we engage with stakeholders internationally and locally to ensure all visitors feel safe and can travel confidently to and from Dubai. We have been working closely with our partners including Informa Markets and Dubai World Trade Centre, implementing the latest guidelines and best practices to create safe environments for their events and put Dubai at the forefront of the recovery of the business events sector globally.”

Both events take place from 21-24 June at the Dubai World Trade Centre and will feature a range of keynote speeches and roundtable discussions, industry briefings, product demos and networking opportunities, as well as a series of pre-arranged one-to-one meetings, with an emphasis on creating lasting relationships and doing business.

“Arab Health and Medlab Middle East are part of the very fabric of UAE business and trade; the return of physical events are an important sign of the renewed confidence and commitment in the UAE as an important trade corridor. Now, more than ever, it is important for the healthcare industry to come together, to network, to discuss the future of the industry, and to do business,” concluded Molman.

In the month preceding the live event in Dubai, both Arab Health and Medlab Middle East will host a series of dedicated online focus days to allow participants to find the correct contacts to meet and do business, with a showcase of the latest products and technological advancements, and a host of focused informative sessions drawing in medical and healthcare trade professionals from the region and beyond.

The online event platforms for Arab Health and Medlab Middle East will launch on 23 May 2021 and will remain available to participants until 22 July 2021. The online platform, while supporting visitors at the live show with scheduling qualified meetings in advance, will also offer visitors who cannot attend the event in-person, the opportunity to connect with valuable contacts and build target audiences through AI-powered matchmaking and video conferencing technology.

A recent Colliers paper highlights that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) needs 20,000 to 30,000 long-term care beds by 2030 and this will create a lot of healthcare real estate demand. If translated into real estate demand, the demand will be 6 million sqm to 9 million sqm new construction or US$ 10 billion to US$ 15 billion investment in the next 10 years.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a current estimated population of approximately 35 million, as of November 2020, is the largest country in the GCC. Under Vision 2030, the country is going through fundamental structural changes in all sectors including healthcare.

Related: Omnia Health Magazine February – March 2021

The Healthcare sector in KSA is undergoing evolution on the back of rapid advancements in technology and research and development (R&D) in line with global and regional trends. However, COVID-19 has also exposed the vastly diverse structure of healthcare systems and increased the importance of R&D and the provision of specialised healthcare within generalised healthcare.

Long-term care (LTC), Rehabilitation and home care (HC) are amongst the main focal points for diversification and enhancement of the healthcare system in KSA. A key driver is the changing demographic profile through a decreased fertility rate and increased life expectancy. As a result, the population above 60 years is expected to increase from 5.5 per cent in 2020 to 11.0 per cent by 2030.

Related: Government-led digital health initiatives drive adoption of telehealth in UAE and KSA

This shift will have a significant impact on disease patterns and the type of healthcare services required. As almost 80 per cent of a person’s healthcare requirements typically occur after the age of 60 years, this will increase the demand for LTC, Rehab and HC. This is especially true in the case of KSA with its high prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases including diabetes, coronary and obesity-related illnesses. These are in addition to existing demand from disabilities, which also require LTC, Rehab and HC. This article highlights the opportunities relating to LTC, Rehab and HC in KSA.

Source: Colliers Healthcare Team 2021

What is Long Term and Post-Acute Care (LTPAC)

LTPAC includes a variety of rehabilitation or palliative services that help meet the medical and non-medical needs of people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. It includes the care patients receive after, or in some cases, instead, of a stay in an acute care hospital over a relatively long period of time.

This wide array of services ranges from complex care in a long-term, acute-care hospital to personalised home care assistance. Compared to the general population, patients who receive LTPAC services typically have a broader range of conditions and more complex, chronic care needs that result in frequent transitions between their homes, acute, post-acute, and longer-term care settings.

To understand the demand for long-term, one needs to understand the complete patient care management process, from discharge from acute care to rehabilitation, through to Long Term & Post-Acute Care facilities.

Source: Colliers Healthcare Team 2021

Medical Tourism: Saving money by replacing international treatment with domestic treatment

Scarcity and quality of specialised healthcare facilities remain one of the major reasons for outbound medical treatment in the GCC. Both national and expatriate patients prefer going overseas for medical treatments mainly in Germany, UK, U.S., Canada and Asian countries. This includes treatments relating to long-term care and rehabilitation.

Historically, over 20,000 patients used to be sent abroad for treatments. However, with the introduction of PPP models, this has fallen in recent years. The plan now is that unless treatment is not available in Saudi Arabia the state will no longer pay for overseas treatment.

In the GCC, especially in the UAE, there has also been an improvement in the quality of healthcare service provision. The emergence of a number of reputed indigenous brands and the opening of internationally recognised hospitals (such as Kings College Hospital, Mediclinic, Cleveland Clinic) is expected to lead to a further decline in outbound medical tourism.

Establishing quality LTC and rehab facilities with home-based international operators can act as a catalyst to reduce expenditure on outbound treatments whilst simultaneously growing a new service sector.

The key indications/ diseases that require long-term care:

Medical wellness & preventative healthcare

In the MENA region, the prevalence of diabetes and obesity is one of the highest in the world, with almost 55 million people aged 20 to 79 years suffering from diabetes. This number is expected to double by 2045.

Eight Middle Eastern countries; Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, KSA, Bahrain, UAE, Jordan and Lebanon have the highest ratio of obesity among adults globally with 27 per cent to 40 per cent of the total population affected. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in these countries ranges from 74 per cent to 86 per cent in women and 69 per cent to 77 per cent in men.

In GCC countries, there is a need to focus on more preventive rehabilitation care by the establishment of medical wellness treatment centres.

Projects are being developed in lifestyle retreat settings where recovery is in a relaxed and comfortable environment rather than a typical hospital setting. Colliers has also been engaged in various projects including waterfront hospitality where health and medical wellness components are incorporated within the resorts. These projects are expected to have a positive impact in the long-term by reducing the demand for both acute care hospitals and post-acute care long-term and rehabilitation facilities.

Within KSA, the Red Sea Project, Qiddiya Entertainment City and Amaala Red Sea Riviera projects could be ideal locations to develop medical wellness and preventive healthcare facilities.

Source: Saudi Gazette; Colliers Healthcare Analysis 2021

Mental Healthcare

Mental Health is becoming a major issue, as presently there are around 1.4 million patients in the KSA which are expected to increase to 4.4 million by 2050. A significant percentage of mental health issues are age-related and can be accommodated through long-term care/rehabilitation facilities or even as part of home care. COVID-19 has also exacerbated mental health issues through additional life stress and isolation. Offering mental health in LTC / Rehab facilities or as part of Home Care, can significantly reduce the capital and operating expenditure and free up beds and resources in acute care hospitals and family clinics.

Conclusion

Due to the shortage of long-term care, rehabilitation and home care services in KSA, patients in need of long-term care utilise acute care facilities, creating a burden on acute care facilities.

Based on various reports and discussions with hospital operators, patients who could be better served in LTC and rehab facilities occupy an estimated 20 per cent to 30 per cent of public hospital beds in the KSA.

The cost of patients who need LTC and rehab but are instead treated in general hospitals is significantly higher compared to a long-term care facility. This is a crucial issue; all government budgets are under pressure while demand for healthcare continues to rise. The capital and operating costs of setting up LTC and rehab facilities are up to 30 per cent or lower when compared to an acute care hospital.

The need for infrastructure to support the provision of LTC and rehab facilities is one of the main policy drivers for various governments in the GCC. For example, Dubai has prioritised investments in setting up LTC and rehab patient services under its latest Investment Guide. As part of the privatisation process in KSA, the Ministry of Health is seeking to engage operators for LTC and Rehab facilities and HC.

So, what is the gap?

As per Colliers estimates, KSA, by 2030 would require additional 20,000 – 22,000 Long-term Care (LTC) and rehabilitative beds. However, to achieve OECD average standards, the country would require 28,000 to 30,000 additional beds by 2030.

An important aspect will be improving HC services. Presently the capabilities, resources, and efficiency of in-home care vary across regions with limited service provided. Due to a lack of efficient operational procedures and proper information systems, the utilisation of home care personnel remains low. An improved home care provision will reduce the pressure on both acute care and LTC and rehabilitation hospitals. The target under the PSP initiative is to increase home care coverage annually from 40,090 (2017) to 90,300 (2022).

In November 2020, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) announced the implementation of a uniform model for elderly care in KSA in collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors. In Colliers’ opinion, this initiative is expected to improve the efficiency and quality of services provided to the elderly in the Kingdom with better utilisation of tertiary care, LTC and Rehab facilities.

There are number of benefits of transitioning a patient to post-acute care setting from an acute care facility instead of direct discharge to home

The greatest challenge lies in the shortage of manpower as the number of physicians and specialised nurses and allied healthcare personnel for rehabilitation is insufficient. With new hospital developments underway the competition to hire experienced and skilled physicians, nurses and allied workforce is further set to intensify.

Currently, the market is in its nascent stage and many existing LTC, Rehab and HC facilities lack advanced medical capabilities. As the market matures, more centres providing specialised comprehensive rehabilitation such as neurorehabilitation, cardiopulmonary, paediatric and musculoskeletal rehabilitation will enter the market. The Colliers healthcare team is actively working with several local, regional and international investors and operators to facilitate entry and/or expansion in KSA’s lucrative LTC, Rehab and HC sector.

Mansoor Ahmed