Over 150 healthcare professionals have convened in Dubai for the third annual healthcare event, supported by the UAE Ministry of HealthUAE Ministry of Health, to discuss issues affecting and impacting the medical fraternity, in the wake of a boom in the industry in the UAE and globally.

"Customers expect individualised treatment in the private sector and hence hospitals should focus on personalised attention to patients," said N. Nallasivam, medical director at Medcare Hospital in Dubai.

A patient-centric approach must be adopted by the hospitals if they need to make a difference, he added. "Improving quality of healthcare, managing the cost burden of an ageing population, accurate information at the point of care are some of the key challenges of healthcare organisations," noted Raj Singh, healthcare solutions consultant EMEA, Hitachi Data Systems.

He was speaking on the 'Importance of information at the point of care'.

"The world population is ageing and healthcare spending increases with age. Providing the right information at the right time is information at the point of care," he said, emphasising the role of information technology while providing treatment to patients.

Singh added that healthcare is all about having the data and information of patients so that optimal treatment is possible.

The two-day event focuses on healthcare leadership and marketing, patient safety and raising the skills of the industry to make it consumer-driven.

Doctors, consultants, hospital CEOs, medical directors, IT professionals in the healthcare industry and companies that supply medical equipment are participating.

By staff reporter

© Khaleej Times 2008