Healthcare leaders gather at SEHA's 4th Annual Research Conference to reveal latest medical informatics research

During the two-day conference, experts and researchers presented their views on the latest findings, best practices and emerging trends in quality and research and abstracts by healthcare professionals throughout the UAE.

The conference featured a unique gathering of over 32 medical leaders, clinical research informatics and speakers from the public and private sectors as well as educational institutes such as the UAE University, and international healthcare academicians.

Attending guest speakers included Dr. Ali Al-Obaidli, Chief Clinical Officer, SEHA, Abu Dhabi, Dr. Matthew Morgan, Vice-President, Patient Experience and Outcomes, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Dr. Greg Raglow, Group Health Informatics Director, SEHA, Abu Dhabi.

"As with preceding years, the SEHA Research Conference provides the perfect opportunity for clinicians and administrators in healthcare to exchange ideas, hear from industry experts, and continue to develop practical strategies that will help enhance results and ensure quality healthcare services. We aim to offer the healthcare industry with all the collated information they require to provide the best medical care in the region," commented H.E. Saif Bader Al-Qubaisi, Chairman of SEHA.

Basheer Al-Muhairbi, Deputy Chief Officer of IT Division at SEHA,, said "SEHA is keen to apply advanced technological solutions that contribute to enhancing the efficiency, safety and care of patients at all its affiliated medical centers in line with the government's plans aimed at promoting a healthcare system that keeps pace with the highest international standards."

Al-Muherbi said, "SEHA recently announced the new brand name for its own hospital information system, now known as Malaffi, the Arabic word meaning 'my file'. Malaffi further enhances the quality of care delivered by SEHA to its customers while protecting patient confidentiality and privacy."

He added, "The use of Malaffi across all of SEHA's public hospitals means that each patient's files can be accessed by another SEHA hospital should a patient need treatment. This in turn ensures safety, confidentiality and an improved level of treatment and communication between the healthcare providers and patients, plus helps reduce inaccurate information."

'Harnessing the Power of Electronic Health Records and Health Information Technology to Improve Population Health', 'Medical Informatics in Diabetes', 'Leveraging Technology to Improve Patient Safety in Acute Care Hospitals', and the 'Shrinking of Thinking and Medication Safety in an e-Smart World' were among the core topics highlighted at the 2012 conference.

The seminars, lectures and interactive presentations provided attendees with insights into how informatics is used to achieve operational and clinical excellence.

It is worth mentioning that Medical Informatics combines the tools available in computer science with the methodologies of information science to create a healthcare system that provides healthcare professionals with easy access to patient data in a confidential manner.