MEAHI to be established at MECHHI

The two-day event is being organized by the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSE) with the support of the Department of Health and Medical Services, Dubai (DOHMS), the World Health Organization(WHO), Ministry of Health, Dubai Healthcare City, University of Bath, Knowledge Village, Dubai Healthcare City, Higher Colleges of Technology(HCT), Zayed University(ZU), International Medical Informatics Association(IMIA), British Council, Harvard Medical School, Dubai Centre and British University in Dubai.

The conference will witness for the first time the formation of the Middle East Association of Healthcare Informatics (MEAHI). The Association will function as an autonomous Middle East regional chapter of the International Medical Informatics Association.

Speaking on the proposed Middle East Association of Healthcare Informatics Prof. Iain Ledingham, Professor Emeritus of Medical Education, Honorary Consultant, Middle East Affairs, Faculty of Health Informatics, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh said: 'There is a strong and clear need for education and extensive research in the nascent field of healthcare informatics in the Middle East. The formation of the association will be instrumental in addressing this need in a collective and professional way, and will act as key to continuous quality improvement in the healthcare sector in the region. The association's primary mission will be to strengthen and support biomedical and health informatics activities in the region.'

Regarding the annual conference, Dr. Khaled Ghandour, UAE representative to the Faculty of Health Informatics Royal College of Surgeons said: 'This is definitely one of the largest and most eagerly awaited confluences of Healthcare and IT experts in the region. The conference will be a common meeting ground where internationally renowned experts will share their experience and expertise. The primary aim would be to work towards, and evolve a common goal of optimally integrating state-of-the-art information technology to every level of health care delivery.'

Dr, Nazar Zaki, College of Information Technology, UAE University, said, 'The UAE University has been in the forefront of pioneering advanced research and path-breaking initiatives. We believe that addressing key issues like the use of information technology in healthcare will go a long way towards improving the way healthcare is administered across the region. Being a socially conscious and responsible institution, we have been consistently collaborating with such events and initiatives, especially those that advance the cause of research through information technology'.

The opening day of the conference will see speakers sharing their experience and expertise in successfully implementing and adopting highly advanced technology in healthcare. His Excellency, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan will deliver an inaugural speech, followed by Mr. John A. R Smith, President, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh addressing the delegates of the conference through a video link facility. On the opening day, the Keynote address will be delivered by Richard Granger, Director General, NHS National Programme for IT, UK while on the second day, the keynote speech will be made by Professor Enrico Coiera, Professor and Foundation Chair in Medical Informatics, Centre for Health Informatics, University of New South Wales, Australia.

The Plenary session will be addressed by some of the world's renowned Healthcare and IT experts like Dr. Najeeb Al-Shorabji, Regional Advisor, Health Information Support, Regional Office for the East Mediterranean, World Health Organization, Prof. Hiroshi Takeda, Professor of Medical Information Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan: Vice-President, International Medical Informatics Association, Dr. Venkat Rao, Director, Health Research and Informatics Practice, Computer Sciences Corporation, Virginia, USA, Dr. Ahmed Risk, Head-Clinical Operations, Cross Medical Services Group, London, UK, Dr. Sherine Shalaby, Operations Manager, CMSEG (Electronic Health Records) Ltd, Cairo, Egypt and Dr. Paul Whatling, Director, Clinical Design, NHS National Programme for IT, UK.

This will be followed by presentations on numerous topics including 'Framework for Developing Informatics in GCC Healthcare', 'Implementing an Integrated Healthcare Information System: The Dubai Experience', and 'Information Technology in Health Informatics in Developing Nations'.

The speakers on the second day will make detailed analyses on the socio-technical outcomes in the evolution of healthcare informatics. The second day's plenary sessions will be addressed by top experts including Dr. John Halamka, Chief Information Officer, Harvard Medical School and Clinical Research Institutive, USA, Prof. Agnus Wallace, Dean , Faculty of Health Informatics, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Dr. Henry S. Thompson, School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Jeffrey Soar, Director, Centre for Health & Agedcare Informatics, University of Southern Queensland, Australia, Dr. Henry Thompson, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh. The workshop sessions will attempt in delving into the nuances of issues like 'Way Ahead: Recommendation for Healthcare Practice, Research, Education and Training'.