Middle East to benefit from Tawam Hospital's upgrade programs for 2007

Mr. Michael Heindel, CEO, Tawam Hospital, provided details about the programmes being undertaken to upgrade the facilities, including adoption of new computer software, improving staff and specialist competency, and instituting training and workshops. Mr. Heindel also discussed Johns Hopkins' role in running the hospital after completing a successful transition of the management team.

"We are implementing a sustained approach towards perfecting the delivery of health care. We have already taken steps restructuring the hospital's management team, and we will intensify our campaign by continuing to refine our patient management and health care delivery processes, introduce new programmes that will improve our facilities and the skill set of our growing medical staff," said Heindel. "We are committed to delivering only the best health care practices to the public. The General Authority for Health Services for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has shown a strong commitment by providing all the means and resources for the success of our initiatives."

Tawam is currently undertaking expansion work on the Tawam Oncology Services, by upgrading its computer software. It is eyeing a summer groundbreaking for its Oncology Hospital, and the new Oncology inpatient unit will open in early February. Additionally, ten new state-of-the-art operating rooms combining state-of-the-art design with technology are planned for this year. Also, to be opened in early February is a technologically advanced Intensive Care Unit. All structures and facilities at Tawam Hospital are designed to allow for future growth and technology upgrades.

"These sophisticated technological upgrades form only part of the long-term benefits of the Tawam Hospital-Johns Hopkins partnership. The local manpower resources will also greatly benefit as we carry forward with the Hopkins Visiting Physician program, where specialists from Johns Hopkins will conduct periodic visits to provide medical education lectures, surgical workshops and patient care, procedures and/or surgeries," said Harris Benny, VP and COO of Johns Hopkins Medicine International. "Johns Hopkins' reputation, influence and association in different fields of medicine will also put Tawam in a position to recruit and attract highly qualified physicians and specialists, who can then pass on their skills to their local colleagues at Tawam. Overall, this affiliation will prove very advantageous to the whole region as it provides access to the expertise and services of a world-class teaching hospital."

One example of the hospital's anticipated in-house events is the visit of a team of six internationally renowned otolaryngology head and neck surgeons, who conducted an educational symposium and provided a surgical workshop. Tawam Hospital regularly holds these symposiums and workshops to reinforce and sharpen the skills of its UAE colleagues.