Major medical conference 'Practi-Med Dubai' to address emergency care

The three-day program, which will take place December 5 - 7th at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Conference Center, brings together leading clinicians from Harvard-affiliated institutions, as well as health care providers in the Middle East. The symposium will focus on advancements in cancer treatment besides discussing the latest research on a range of topics including emergency care.

Of pressing concern is the need for physicians in the UAE to improve emergency care in Gulf Region hospitals in order to reduce the loss of life from heart attacks, strokes, and accident trauma. Practi-Med Dubai 2004 will focus in part on implementing programs to manage emergencies, and provide physicians with the latest knowledge to treat emergent medical conditions.

Omar Moawiyah Al Shunnar, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of DHCC said, "Practi-Med Dubai 2004 is the second annual major medical conference developed by DHCC and HMI to develop practical solutions to address common health care challenges affecting the Middle East."

"Last December, more than 1,200 physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals gathered in Dubai for the first lifelong learning program developed by HMI and DHCC. Earlier this year, HMI and DHCC collaborated on two Specialty Practi-Med programs, one on diabetes and another on musculoskeletal health. The response has been enthusiastic and program attendees have reported immediate impacts on the way they approach their daily practice." added Al Shunnar.

Dr. Philip D. Anderson, an emergency physician at Harvard Medical School, will lead a series of discussions on emergency medicine.

In addition to a lecture addressing the management of common medical emergencies, Anderson will discuss how to develop systems for providing emergency care to heart attack and stroke victims.

"Emergency care that works well is a team effort," said Anderson, who trains emergency physicians and practices at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "It's important for health care systems to have emergency physicians who are skilled at diagnosing and treating emergencies among the undifferentiated patient population. However, in many cases, such as myocardial infarction, effective treatment requires input from several different departments of the hospital. That's why a systems approach to emergency care is vital."

Although the UAE and greater Gulf Region is home to many highly skilled physicians, currently the infrastructure to support emergency medicine—including training and education programs, treatment protocols, communications systems, and quality assurance policies—is still under development. Anderson plans to discuss the basic elements of an emergency care system, including evidence-based guidelines, written care protocols, continuing medical education, and quality improvement.

Emergency medicine is among the topics that have not been previously addressed at a Practi-Med program, along with dermatology, headache diagnosis and treatment, and counseling patients with severe illnesses. In addition to these topics, Practi-Med Dubai 2004 will cover health care challenges common to the Middle Eastern countries, including the rise of cardiovascular and infectious disease, as well as diabetes, obesity, and the care of children and expectant mothers. The program will focus not only on these and other health issues, but also on ways to build sustainable diagnosis, prevention, and treatment systems that can have lasting benefits for health care delivery in the Middle East.

For more information, including the program, or to register online those interested can visit http://www.practi-med.com/dubai. HMI and DHCC also make sponsorship opportunities available to corporations and exhibitors that are interested in building relationships with practicing health care professionals.

Practi-Med Dubai 2004 has been accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for18 credit hours (6 hours per day). The General Health Authority in Abu Dhabi has granted up to 16 credit hours, and the Continuing Medical Education & Professional Development Committee of the United Arab Emirates University Faculty of Medicine and Health Science has granted up to 18.5 credit hours. Those participating in the conference will be awarded a 'Certificate of Attendance' by Harvard Medical International and DHCC.