Fakeeh University Hospital, a world-class healthcare and academic center in the UAE, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Siemens Healthineers to further enhance the successful collaboration across various areas with a special focus on medical excellence, improvement of productivity and innovation in healthcare delivery.
Brought to the UAE by pioneering Saudi healthcare provider group, Fakeeh Care, Fakeeh University Hospital is committed to delivering medical excellence and championing outstanding research in the UAE, building on four decades of healthcare legacy. Equipped with cutting-edge technology and with the support of its partnership with Siemens Healthineers, its systems are set up to treat an estimated 700,000 patients a year.
In the most recent leap of the mutual collaboration, Fakeeh University Hospital (FUH) will see the institutionalization and facilitation of the Middle East’s first Innovation Think Tank (ITT) laboratory developed in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. It will create a local innovation infrastructure connected to global Innovation Think Tank locations, focusing on improved patient experience, disease pathways advancement and workflow optimization. FUH- ITT lab will act as a physical and virtual center for research, clinical excellence, and training, where staff, students and researchers can apply their real-world expertise towards the development of medical innovations, from new practices to breakthrough technologies.
Innovation Think Tank is a global infrastructure of co-creation labs and programs at Siemens Healthineers locations, universities, and hospitals. ITT empowers partner institutions to create self-sustaining infrastructures and proactively drives innovation to improve human life. Until 2021, Innovation Think Tank has established a network of 56 activity locations, consisting of ITT laboratories and certification programs. It is also responsible for more than 2,500 product definitions, R&D and strategy projects and continues to offer 200 ITT fellowships annually to program participants from so far over 150 universities in 38 countries.
In addition to the laboratory space at its state-of-the-art facility, the flagship ITT Certification Program will be organized in a hybrid format, engaging key healthcare stakeholders in the region and focusing on defining new designated projects in the ITT-FUH lab. Also, a dedicated digital engagement platform will be launched on Fakeeh University Hospital’s website which will showcase the most outstanding projects and potential engagement options with the global community on research and innovation. The laboratory space itself will strengthen the hospital’s education arm by providing opportunities for doctors and staff to undergo specialized training sessions to further enhance patient care capabilities. Fakeeh University Hospital will be the reference site for Technology & Innovative solutions, with the establishment of ITT and Healthineers academy for clinical training of not only FUH healthcare professionals, but also, healthcare professionals from the entire middle east.
Dr. Fatih Mehmet Gul, Chief Executive Officer, Fakeeh University Hospital said: “This is an exciting moment for us as we further establish ourselves as a leading center of academic excellence and patient-centric care in the country and region. As a globally recognized stamp of expertise, the ITT certification allows us to ensure that we continue to train and retain some of the best minds in medicine at our hospital. We look to Siemens Healthineers as our natural partner, to help us continue to pave the road towards innovation and quality care. Together, we can address the biggest healthcare challenges in the UAE and wider region.”
Ole Per Maloy, Managing Director, Siemens Healthineers Middle East and Southern & Eastern Africa said: “In addition to our existing multifaceted partnership, Fakeeh University Hospital is now among the growing number of prestigious institutions worldwide that have undertaken the Innovation Think Tank program. Building on their impressive expertise, this program will allow participants to explore their intrinsic creativity and diversity to encourage out-of-the-box thinking, ultimately creating an innovation ecosystem and addressing local challenges in our region as well that will improve the lives of patients.”
Fakeeh University Hospital and Siemens Healthineers are collaborating across multiple topics and areas to enhance patient experience and quality of education. One of these programs is the Siemens Healthineers Academy which organizes accredited training courses for clinicians and technicians at FUH and will also provide training for future students at the institute. Furthermore, the two organizations set up regular User Club meetings for Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) systems at the hospital premises, connecting selected customers and enabling them to network and to drive exchange between leading experts through high-level lectures & presentations. The ongoing exchange between specialists will help identify and set new trends in the respective area of expertise. In addition, the two bodies agreed on manifesting their cooperation in a reference site agreement, providing access to the cutting-edge facilities to external parties to observe systems and workflow based on Siemens Healthineers technologies.
The partnership between Fakeeh University Hospital and Siemens Healthineers has been evolving at a very fast pace, creating an important regional hub of advanced healthcare facilities combined with academic and educational offers for current and future healthcare professionals.
