As a senior professional in the healthcare industry, what according to you, is currently driving the technology side of healthcare industry forward, both in the MENA region and globally?

Today, health is an all-embracing term that refers to physical, mental, and social well-being. The desire for quality of life that lasts as long as possible, coupled with population growth and the issue of ageing populations in many societies, is boosting demand for medical care and has resulted in good long-term prospects for the medical  technology industry.

What current trends do you see specifically in the UAE healthcare industry and what do you see as the growth areas going forward?

The growing state of digital connectivity is changing the industry. Connected devices and rapid internet connections promise a wealth of opportunities, but also entail numerous challenges. Connectivity - and as a next step interoperability - make it possible to simplify and enhance clinical processes and their management at hospitals.

Using the data that Dräger devices generate in hospitals through true interoperability helps to save lives and to reduce costs, through an improved integration of this data into the hospital IT environment. Dräger supports and develops standards for a reliable and efficient IT integration.

At the same time, Dräger is committed to Cybersecurity and has implemented a dedicated cybersecurity framework. We have been the first company to achieve DIACAP accreditation for patient monitoring and we are the first to have a telemetry device featuring FIPS security.

How important is innovation in healthcare? What are the technological, medical and strategic innovations that your company brings to the healthcare arena? 

Innovation is key in an ever changing environment and we attach a great deal of importance to our research and development activities. Therefore continuous development and a quest for perfection are characteristic of Dräger’s corporate culture. Our openness to new and innovative approaches constantly spurs us on, yet we never lose sight of our mission: Technology for Life.

The special needs of the human body often prompt groundbreaking technical developments. Research and development is a solid platform from which we will continue actively shaping our markets. While we are already among the international leaders of our field, we still have plenty of room to grow. Every year, we invest around eight percent of our revenues in research and development to turn visions into technology for life.

What products or technology will you be showcasing at Arab Health 2018? What is unique or new about the products or services you will be presenting this year?

At Arab Health 2018, the following innovations from Dräger are waiting for you to be discovered.

One product highlight is our Dräger Oxylog VE300. 110 years ago, Dräger developed the world's first emergency ventilator, which we have continued to develop ever since, so we understand how important it is for emergency responders to be able to concentrate on their patients fully and without interruption. When we redeveloped our mobile ventilator, we focused on simple and quick operation. We proudly introduce our new, portable emergency ventilator — more robust, reliable and ergonomic than ever.

Further important topics that will be discussed on our booth are Dräger Gas Management Systems: Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS) in hospitals and Cybersecurity.

The Medical Gas Pipeline System is a key element of every hospital. Installing a reliable central medical gas supply involves a great deal of responsibility, which we are happy to take on for you – with specialist knowledge, outstanding systems expertise, and a comprehensive range of services.

As the number of malicious programmes has been rising rapidly for years, it is important to focus on cybersecurity. Effective protection against cybercriminals can only be achieved if all work together: system-experts, software producers, medical device manufacturers, users and data protection officers. We are happy to discuss your requirements at Arab Health 2018.

As we are not only a leader in hospital solutions but also in safety technology, we are looking forward to show some of our innovative safety products to you as well. We’ll have some diagnostic devices on the booth as well as a range of portable and fixed gas detectors.

We at Dräger empower hospitals to do more than ever with better results in acute care – to save, protect and support lives. At Arab Health 2018 we would like to talk about how to impact your outcomes. At our Specialist Exchange Hub, our specialists are looking forward to having value-adding conversations with you and discussing the impact of topics such as generating outcomes, patient protection, reducing operational costs and service management.

As a company closely associated with Arab Health for the past several years, how would you evaluate the impact of the event on the healthcare industry in the MENA region? 

We have been attending Arab Health for more than 25 years which has given us the opportunity to see the event develop over time. Arab Health 2018 will again be the largest gathering of stakeholders in the healthcare industry in the MENA region and therefore will continue to have a tremendous impact on the industry as such. And Arab Health becomes more and more important globally as well. We can clearly see that in a steady increase in customer visits from Europe, America and Asia.

How has Arab Health aided your company’s yearly strategy in developing business opportunities in this growing region?

Dräger is the Specialist in Acute Care. We understand that this is key to approach the major three challenges — Outcome, Costs and Patient & Staff Satisfaction — as one goal. At Arab Health we will use the opportunity to discuss these challenges and also showcase how Dräger helps to overcome these not only with existing but also future customers.

What, according to you, are the real benefits and opportunities available to healthcare and trade professionals on attending Arab Health?

Arab Health gives healthcare and trade professionals the ideal platform and environment to network and connect with new business partners. In addition, there are numerous opportunities for professional development through the conferences, workshops and training sessions.