Collaboration, coordination, and cooperation are the three pillars of successful initiatives. In the healthcare sector, the Arab Hospitals Federation (AHF) plays a central role in networking hospitals by adhering to these principles. Today, most hospitals are familiar with AHF, and AHF is familiar with hospitals. With a successful track record spanning 25 years, MedEdge MEA has secured an opportunity to interview Mr. Fadi Alame, President of the Arab Hospitals Federation. The interview explores current events in the healthcare field and the crucial role AHF plays in its success.
MedEdge MEA: What are the main obstacles facing hospitals in the Arab world, and how is the Federation addressing them?
Fadi Alame: The Arab region faces diverse political, economic, social, and health challenges, leading to varied health management and disparities in healthcare access and expenditure. I will highlight 4 pressing and common challenges facing Arab hospitals.
The first challenge is the Healthcare workforce shortage as many professionals seek better opportunities abroad. To address this, hospitals must train their existing staff in new technologies and create attractive work environments to retain talent, while ensuring gender balance. The Arab Hospitals Federation can help by offering continuous professional development and training programs in collaboration with renowned institutions to enhance healthcare workers’ skills.
The second challenge faced by hospitals is embracing digital transformation whether by adopting advanced medical technologies or integrating digital healthcare solutions. Through our partnership with HIMSS, the federation is able to assist these institutions by providing all health IT-related information, sharing knowledge and giving advice for a smooth effective integration.
The climate change challenge is the third problem that I would like to stress on. Our hospitals need to become climate resilient and sustainable and minimize their emissions. The Federation has launched the Arab Healthcare Sustainability Center that collaborates with regional organizations such as WHO and Geneva Sustainability Center to help them in their journey toward sustainability by providing them with the tools, skills and training needed.
The fourth challenge is financial management in hospitals. With limited resources and rising operating costs, hospitals need to manage their financial resources wisely. The Arab Hospitals Federation can play an active role in providing training sessions on financial management best practices, courses and resources on topics such as budgeting, cost control, and revenue cycle management.
ME: How is the Federation aiding hospitals in adopting digital health technologies?
Fadi Alame: The Digital Health Transformation is a major division in the Federation. We created a division devoted to launching strategies, policies, and initiatives that will help the Arab healthcare sector shift to this transformation. The Federation played a major role in advocating the promotion of the importance of digital health transformation and AI among policymakers and healthcare leaders in the Arab world.
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In addition, we created a robust partnership with HIMSS to provide comprehensive support to hospitals in the region, facilitating the successful adoption and integration of digital health technologies to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
ME: What’s about the sustainability topic and How are Arab hospitals addressing it, and what’s the Federation’s contribution?
Fadi Alame: Over the past years, the Arab Hospitals Federation was one of the first bodies to advocate for this topic and has set a target to spread the culture of sustainability among its members.
After the Covid-19 crisis, we highlighted the issue of sustainability and the approach to having smart, sustainable, and safe hospitals. We launched a “New Vision for Healthcare Facilities Design in the Arab World” that was appreciated by WHO and other organizations. AHF have guided several initiatives, strategies, and publications related to healthcare sustainability and facing the climate change challenge.
‘‘The Federation played a major role in advocating the promotion of the importance of digital health transformation and AI’’
Fadi Alame
We see that Arab hospitals are more aware of this big challenge and are working hard to face it. We are by their side, supporting them through the services offered by the Arab Healthcare Sustainability Center, ranging from setting roadmaps for hospitals and conducting training and educational sessions for healthcare professionals to consultancy services aimed at turning pledges into concrete actions.
Lately, the Division of Healthcare Sustainability in AHF built a triangular partnership with WHO EMRO and the Geneva Sustainability Center to provide our members with all the tools needed to lead their sustainability journey.
ME: The AHF is celebrating its silver jubilee this year. How will it celebrate this event?
FA: On this occasion, significant and diverse activities will be organized to celebrate the silver jubilee. These activities will review the experiences we have gone through, the lessons we have learned, and how they will help us face challenges in the next twenty-five years.
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Our celebration will be all year long with different activities planned starting with MedHealth Abu Dhabi the official silver Jubilee celebration taking place on 29-30 October 2024 in the presence of ministers of health, key decision makers and leaders in the Healthcare field in addition to executives from healthcare institutions who will celebrate this occasion with us and recognize personalities who contributed to the success of this journey. This unique and important activity will include an award ceremony, different circles of discussion to honour the past, celebrate the present and shape the future.
