As a regional President of a global medical technology company, what do you think is currently driving the healthcare industry forward, both in the MENA region and globally?

It’s a combination of things that are interlinked: First, we see a population increase coupled with longer life expectancy that drives demand for efficient health care.

Second, besides higher demand, limited resources will drive the healthcare system in the direction of value-based healthcare; by increasing clinical outcomes and reducing the total cost of care.

Finally, innovation will continue to drive development. Not only in terms of technology and business models, but also when it comes to setting the organization in the best way to increase efficiency in the patient flow. When it comes to technology we will continue to develop devices for better procedures and rapid recovery, which will shorten the length of stay in hospitals. Perhaps more interesting, we expect digitalization to bring a lot of benefits, both when it comes to patient flows and also, how to diagnose and treat patients.

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

The UAE healthcare industry remains attractive and will reflect on revenue growth; however, it is expected to materialize at lower profitability rates.

The UAE government is indeed discussing new taxes but at this stage it is not clear what they might be and when they might be introduced. A VAT higher than the current 5% is very likely in 4-5 years, perhaps going up to 7-10%. This will put pressure on our distributors’ debts and their financial capabilities as we see an increase in the interest rates as well.

What, according to you, are the main ideas/strategies that will transform the healthcare industry of the future?

The hospital of the future should be excellent in:

• Providing high clinical outcome at reduced costs.
• Lean management to limit waste and increase efficiencies.
• Provide a great patient experience to our new informed and more involved patients.

Getinge continues to evolve in our solutions offering to those hospitals that really pay attention to not only high clinical efficacy and patient satisfaction, but also drives productivity and efficiency. By doing so we can bring more and better healthcare to a growing number of patients – with the same resources. We see a significant potential in this, not only in the actual treatments and devices but also in how to manage patient flows. As one example, we offer a solution for more efficient flows of patients that bring a double-digit improvement in productivity. We have a mission to help our customers to make one more surgery in each operating room each day. This will have a significant impact, not only on waiting times, but also from a financial perspective for each hospital as we are using existing resources in a more efficient way.

We also see a strong need to handle the growing threat from multi-resistant bacteria and the risk of actually getting an infection when visiting a hospital. This is what happens to millions of people each year around the world, and many of them actually die as a consequence. We can be a part of the solution for this.

Finally, we strongly believe in digitalization., both in terms of bringing more accurate and timely diagnostics and treatments, and also in terms of increased efficiency in flows of patients, staff and sterile goods.

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

Innovation is crucial in healthcare. But too often we tend to focus on the ground-breaking innovations and tend to forget the step by step innovations and everyday improvements that really matter for the majority of the patients out there. Both are equally important.

We also tend to focus on technological innovations. However, organizational innovations and development together with having the right infrastructure are sometimes even more important, in order to actually being able to utilize the new technology in the best possible way.

What products or technology will you be showcasing at Arab Health 2018?

We will take the opportunity at Arab Health this year to launch our new corporate identity, as well as presenting our Operating Room (OR) solutions, low-temperature sterilization within the Central Sterile Supply Department and also our Getinge Financial Services.

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?

Arab Health provides Getinge with the opportunity to share technologies and services with existing and potential new customers. It is also a great platform to discuss the healthcare challenges in the region and what we, as professionals in the industry, need to do to address them moving forward.

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

Arab Health is a very popular exhibition. It is heavily attended by all healthcare stakeholders and it does provide a perfect opportunity to meet and find ways to serve our industry. For healthcare and trade professionals attending Arab Health, the event also serves as an opportunity to widen and strengthen distribution networks.