IBM pinpoints key challenges as regional healthcare sector faces reform

Henrik Hoejlund, healthcare solutions leader for IBM's Northern Region, said: "The Middle East faces a tremendous opportunity with world class clinicians, major pharmaceutical companies and a growing number of world class medical facilities. But technology remains a critical challenge in the future development of the sector."

Hoejlund is scheduled to speak at the Arab Health Information Technology in Healthcare Forum, the conference running alongside the exhibition from the 28th-31st January at Dubai's World Trade Centre: part of the company's expanded presence at the exhibition as it increases its focus on the region's healthcare sector.

"Today's healthcare industry is under pressure to effectively manage a consistently higher quality of clinical care while minimising the associated administrative costs and meeting the need for tighter compliance, security and privacy," he commented. "IBM is committed to provide healthcare organizations with innovative solutions that will help them respond to these challenges as they expand to meet the demands in the fast-growing Middle East healthcare sector."

At Arab Health 2008, IBM is showcasing solutions that are at the forefront of managing healthcare delivery in some of the world's most challenging environments: solutions that will help healthcare providers in the Middle East to be true innovators in the delivery of information based medicine and patient services.

IBM is exhibiting at Arab Health on Stand CE40 and will be addressing a number of key technologies for healthcare professionals, including the enhancement of patient care by improving clinical workflow and business processes, medical archival and storage solutions to give clinicians fast, reliable access to medical imaging and electronic health record management. "Technology is transforming healthcare, giving clinicians access to resources at a truly globalised level," said Hoejlund. "This is an opportunity for the Middle East but also a potential regional competitive challenge."

"The effective and timely deployment of technology in healthcare is critical for the development of the sector in our region as we go forwards," said Takreem El-Tohamy, General Manager of IBM Middle East, Egypt and Pakistan.

"Technology solutions in healthcare today use mobility, information management and the Internet to broaden the scope of the way that healthcare professionals plan, diagnose and work and impacts every aspect of healthcare and hospital estate management."

With analysts predicting that the automation of healthcare will a requirement rather than a differentiator, technology solutions offer the most effective way to hold and use clinical data, to interact with patients and to help develop patient communities, as well as taking a core role in processes such as clinician training, remote diagnostics and patient information. The most immediate impact of effectively deployed technology solutions in healthcare management is in the area of improved services and cost efficiencies, according to the company.