A Bevan Brittan webinar finds global healthcare has entered a new and exciting era, reports Fabian Sutch-Daggett.
It is a relief that we are beginning to return to a sense of ‘normality’ after spending so long apart. Nevertheless, there is a palpable sense that things have changed and that the world has evolved without us. And this begs the question, what has changed for the international healthcare market?
After two years Arab Health returned as an in person event at the Dubai World Trade Centre, and the fast pace of innovation in the healthcare space was clearly evident. As is often the way with such large exhibitions, there is always too much to take in at the time, so Bevan Brittan organised a panel with Healthcare World to discuss the main takeaways from Arab Health 2022.
Hosted by Carly Caton, Partner at Bevan Brittan, with Andrea Tithecott, Senior Partner at Al-Tamimi, Isabel Arango, Regional Healthcare Principal Advisor in the Middle East for Mott Macdonald, Ahmed Faiyaz, Partner and Head of Healthcare for KPMG in the Lower Gulf, and Jyoti Mehan of Health Care First, the panel discussed their principal findings.
Main discoveries from Arab Health 2022
Despite the COVID regulations still in force, huge numbers of visitors arrived in Dubai for the biggest event in the healthcare sector. For lawyer Andrea Tithecott, it was a welcome change after the restrictions of the previous months. “We’ve been here throughout the whole process of lockdown, and what we’ve seen throughout the last year ahead of Arab Health is a comprehensive opening up of the UAE to visitors, such as for Expo and Arab Health, and a huge number of international visitors who took the plunge. The government was also out in force, actively looking for international collaboration partners which is key to their strategy,” she said.
Ahmed Faiyaz, Partner and Head of Healthcare for KPMG in the Lower Gulf, agreed that it was almost as if COVID had not happened at all. “I think COVID has really pushed forward the digital agenda,” he commented. “We saw a huge focus on digital, which isn’t new, on AI, and particularly from the public sector. Many of the providers were focusing on co-ordinated care, changes in patient pathways, and using AI.”
It was clear that everyone had enjoyed meeting up again with colleagues and discussing the new era in person. “I took away a few things – for one, that Arab Health was open for business. The dialogue was much more welcoming than I had thought – very much about how we can work together, how we can bring different parts of the sector together, and how do we think about integration of care in a new way? That was very refreshing for me,” observed Jyoti Mehan of Health Care First.
“It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, and new faces too, some of them reuniting for the first time in years, and a great representation of the governmental entities, willing to entertain conversations on collaboration with the private sector,” Isabel Arango added. “One thing came up many times – efficiency as a driver of healthcare, and the view of healthcare as an ecosystem as a whole, not just in silos of services and products. These were conversations which were very encouraging to hear.”
Clearly, there are key factors here which have been widely recognised as emerging within healthcare – the push towards digital healthcare, the broadening of different sectors within healthcare itself, the desire to get involved, and the interlinks which these different sectors can develop and share. However, what has actually changed within the international healthcare dialogue?
“Integration is now at the forefront, a view I realise I share with others, and it’s really interesting to see how learning in this area can be shared between providers and nations, and how this can be built upon in focus areas,” host Carly Caton reflected.
Digital health driving change
One thing is certain – digital is once again at the very forefront of the conversation within healthcare. This viewpoint has no doubt received impulse from the urgent need for digital solutions during the pandemic as it was often impossible, or at the very least highly risky, for patients to access their care in conventional ways. However, while we are now hopefully seeing the beginning of the end of the pandemic, the energy and drive surrounding digital innovation is not showing any signs of slowing down.
“There’s a convergence of many of different industries, some not necessarily involved within healthcare directly, looking to see how they can improve the healthcare sphere, said Ahmed Faiyaz. “Globally, Amazon is a great example but, over time, we’re seeing a large uptake from non-healthcare organisations and the technology sector investing in startups and developing tools specifically for healthcare.”
Ahmed noted that this drive towards digital healthcare is also being influenced by three main factors:
- Traditional public and private sector investment in solutions and apps for patient cohorts
- Non-traditional organisations investing in healthcare
- The start-up ecosystem and incubators
The third point, he feels, is crucial, and developing in many areas of the world, not only the UAE. Firms operating within this start up ecosystem are either looking to access a target population, or harbour their business in a specific locale which is conducive to development growth for healthcare start up firms.
Development of infrastructure
Yet, with the enormous potential of digital health, what impacts does this have for physical healthcare infrastructure? For many years infrastructure existed as the predominant solution for fixing issues which arose within healthcare and healthcare populations, but again, the pandemic has forced a rethink. Now, we are seeing infrastructure itself become part of a larger pivot, and rather than existing as a standalone fixture within the healthcare debate, it is becoming an integral part of a system of healthcare solutions for the modern age.
“We are absolutely seeing a shift towards a more comprehensive integrated health system throughout all sectors, such as within education and research to make a difference within outcomes. We are also seeing a filling of gaps within healthcare systems, where before the pandemic it wasn’t necessarily evident,” said Isabel. “Within the new ecosystem, and looking at healthcare as a whole, we’re beginning to ask which are the right services to provide, not just what infrastructure do we need to develop.”
“There are new spaces which have the capability to be more flexible. COVID came from nowhere and changed everything, and I think there has been a firm realisation that not so much care needs to occur in acute settings, and that spaces can serve more than one purpose,” commented Carly.
Andrea outlined the many changes over the last 12 months within Dubai in regards to how the whole continuity and delivery of healthcare will work. The strategy of the new Dubai Academic Health Corporation, established last year, has already been outlined. The new entity is headed up by two senior Sheikhs of the Maktoum family, with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum as Chairman and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as Vice Chairman. “These appointments demonstrate how important this initiative is,” stresses Andrea Tithecott.
In conclusion, the pandemic has pushed the global healthcare sphere into a new and exciting era – with a strong focus on digital health, development of infrastructure, integration of systems and providers alike, and perhaps most importantly, improving patient outcomes. Detailing all of the knowledge and learning which occurred at Arab Health is an impossible task, but one thing is certain – international healthcare is in a stronger position than ever before.