Philips champions AI-driven healthcare transformation at WHX Dubai
Most valuable innovation isn’t just about doing things faster, it’s about working smarter
In an exclusive chat Özlem Fidanci, Chief of International Region, Philips explains why the global healthcare and technology brand chose to participate at the World Health Expo and why elevating patient care and outcomes is critical
The MENA region’s transformation is a major theme at WHX Dubai this year. From your perspective, how is the healthcare sector contributing to that story?
The healthcare sector is a strategic pillar in shaping the region’s future. Leaders across MENA clearly recognize that a healthy population is not just a social priority, it is the foundation of a productive, resilient economy.
That’s why we’re seeing a real shift toward building smart, connected health ecosystems, with a clear focus on delivering better care for more people.
What makes this moment especially powerful is that this ambition is matched by readiness on the ground. The 2025 Philips Health Trends Research UAE shows that 77 per cent of residents are confident in AI’s ability to enhance healthcare delivery, from diagnosis and treatment planning to operational efficiency.
When strong vision meets trust and adoption, you don’t just imagine the future of care, you actively build it.
As thousands of healthcare leaders gather here in Dubai, what is the single biggest technology topic you believe should be on their agenda?
The most important technology topic is moving from optimism around AI to real impact at scale.
At WHX, we’re showing what that looks like in practice.
The Philips BlueSeal Horizon , our new 3.0T MRI innovation platform that includes the world’s first helium-free 3.0T magnet, brings next-generation clinical AI into everyday workflows. And the Philips Verida Spectral CT , the world’s first detector-based spectral CT fully powered by AI, is designed for high-demand environments, helping streamline workflows, reduce repeat scans, and deliver consistently sharp imaging across care pathways.
Across both systems, the goal is the same: letting AI take on routine tasks and reduce variability, so clinicians can focus on delivering high-quality care.
Looking at day-to-day hospital operations, where do you see the greatest opportunity to elevate patient care and outcomes?
The greatest opportunity lies in solving for healthcare’s most precious resource, time. In healthcare, time truly matters. And today, care teams simply don’t have enough of it.
That’s why the most valuable innovation isn’t just about doing things faster, it’s about working smarter.
By connecting systems, automating routine tasks, and presenting information more intelligently, we can give valuable time back to clinicians.
That time translates into higher capacity, faster diagnostic confidence, and shorter exam times. But just as importantly, it creates space for more meaningful interactions, more listening, more connection, and ultimately better experiences and outcomes for patients and care teams alike.
Beyond showcasing technology, what kinds of conversations or feedback from clinicians and healthcare leaders are most valuable for Philips at an event like this?
The most valuable feedback we hear is rarely about a single feature. It’s about very real, day-to-day operational challenges. Understanding those local realities is what allows us to co-design platforms and solutions that can scale and make a meaningful difference.
It also reinforces a fundamental truth: transforming healthcare can’t be done in isolation. Progress depends on deep collaboration across public and private sectors, turning innovation into execution.
