In a rapidly evolving global healthcare landscape, the pressure to deliver high-quality care with limited resources has never been more intense. At a recent Healthcare World panel during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week chaired by Emma Sheldon MBE, a distinguished group of leaders gathered to explore how to build and sustain high-performance healthcare teams. With voices from public and private sectors, technology, clinical education, law, and global consultancy, the conversation revealed both the complexity of the challenge—and the promise of innovation.
This high-level panel discussion explored the foundational and emerging strategies for building high-performance healthcare teams across diverse healthcare systems. With an emphasis on data-driven decision-making, AI-powered tools, team empowerment, and integrated workforce planning, panelists shared global insights from Sweden to the UAE, and from hospital boards to bedside practice.
Dr. Alex Gleason of M42 opened the session by highlighting the dual focus of his work: integrating internationally qualified healthcare workers and empowering Emirati clinicians. He noted the transformative power of AI, especially in easing administrative burdens: “Clinicians want to touch patients, not phones. We’re using ambient listening and generative AI to eliminate paperwork and let them practice medicine.” From auto-generating clinical notes to supporting newly graduated nurses in navigating unfamiliar drug names, AI was framed as a practical, necessary companion—not a replacement.
“We’re using AI to remove pain points—particularly administrative ones—so clinicians can focus on what they love: patients. In Abu Dhabi, patients expect a frictionless, digital-first experience. If the government can issue visas, driver’s licenses, and school admissions through a phone app, then patients won’t tolerate outdated paper-based healthcare processes.”
From auto-generated clinical notes to pre-authorisation automation, Gleason emphasised how AI not only reduces inefficiencies but how it can also help integrate internationally qualified professionals and new Emirati graduates into the clinical workforce. He highlighted M42’s work with multilingual AI assistants: “For staff who speak English as a second or third language, AI can provide translation and patient education in native dialects—creating empathy at scale.” He also praised the UAE’s regulatory environment, noting the speed at which digital healthcare innovations are adopted: “In the US, a new platform might take 18 months. In Abu Dhabi, it’s rolled out in six weeks. That responsiveness allows us to lead globally.”
Ben Caton, whose company ErgoChair manufactures clinically tailored seating, underscored the need for flexibility in adoption. For him, it’s crucial to understand how infrastructure—right down to the chair a clinician sits in—affects performance. “We often overlook the physical environment. But when we talk about human-centred care, the workforce’s comfort and ergonomics matter. We prescribe chairs like clinicians prescribe medication. Success comes from allowing users to adopt at their own pace—not by forcing them.”
Dr. Gireesh Kumar brought the conversation into local market dynamics, especially in the Gulf region. “Patients in private-led systems expect speed and convenience,” he commented. “But effective workforce planning starts with managing those expectations—and educating patients about their care journey.”
The Role of Government and Regulation in Workforce Empowerment
The UAE’s progressive digital healthcare infrastructure, such as the Malafi health information exchange, was highlighted as a global benchmark. “Malafi gives clinicians unified access to patient records across providers,” Gleason explained. “It supports cohesive, multimodal treatment plans—something we struggled with for decades in the U.S.”
But investing in systems isn’t enough without investment in people. “In Sweden, our system is largely run by nurses,” noted Bjorn Almer. “That works because we’ve invested in their upskilling and empowered them to work at the top of their license. Doctors focus on complex cases. That’s how we scale care effectively. Healthcare is a passion-driven profession. If clinicians don’t see the impact of their work, they disengage.”
He stressed the importance of national-level strategic investment requiring alignment between public health goals and private sector delivery to maximise value, rather than being fragmented across entities, highlighting Sweden’s investment in hospital-at-home programmes as a cost-effective alternative to expanding bed capacity.
However, when Sweden’s private sector began hiring nurses and leasing them back to the public system at double the cost, they were forced to review their methods. “To keep talent, you have to treat your workforce as your most valuable asset,” says Bjorn.
One of the key differentiators for the UAE, said Gleason, is the role of government in setting standards and enabling rapid innovation. “The rate of change here is extraordinary. A process that takes 18 months elsewhere can happen in six weeks here. And that’s because healthcare providers and government are aligned.” This collaborative approach, driven by digital infrastructure and accountability, is something other markets are watching closely.
Risks, Retention, and the Need for Clear Career Pathways
Retention emerged as a recurring theme—particularly among nurses. “In the UAE, many nurses come from countries such as the Philippines or New Zealand but they often don’t see clear career growth, so they leave,” said Dr. Kumar. “The solution lies in strengthening roles, creating advancement pathways, and redefining the scope of nursing practice.”
Vanessa Reeve echoed the importance of nurturing talent. “If you invest in education and meaningful work, people will stay. But if highly skilled professionals are stuck doing routine tasks, they’ll disengage or leave.”
The message from across the panel was clear: retention is no longer just about pay or hours—it’s about purpose, recognition, and development. They concluded that high-performance healthcare teams don’t develop from technology alone. They are cultivated through culture, supported by smart systems, and sustained by clear leadership.
“Digital innovation, AI, and patient data are powerful enablers—but the heart of every healthcare system remains its people,” concluded Emma Sheldon MBE. “The challenge is to build systems that support them to deliver their best. We need to find the equilibrium between efficiency and empathy, between digital tools and human touch. That’s how we build teams that thrive.”