Abu Dhabi to host first mobile health summit in Middle East

ABU DHABI- Public and private sector healthcare professionals will gather at the UAE capital later this month for the region’s inaugural mHealth Summit that will address the theory and practical application of Middle East-specific mobile and personal connected health strategies in the fight against contagious diseases such as MERS.

Taking place from 28-29 May 2014 at the Hilton Capital Grande, Abu Dhabi, the two-day mHealth Summit Middle East is organised by HIMSS Middle East in partnership with the Personal Connected Health Alliance, Continua Health Alliance and Health Authority– Abu Dhabi (HAAD),

The two-day schedule will feature a varied programme of interactive sessions covering topics such as market development, as well as opportunities to learn about approaches to mhealth around the globe in areas such as chronic disease and regulation. It will also offer special training sessions, networking, and an mhealth in action showcase.

“The debut of the mHealth Summit Middle East comes at a time when healthcare in the region is undergoing significant change and development across the board, and with issues such as the MERS virus making international headlines yet again, this is also a timely platform for healthcare specialists and thought leaders to demonstrate the potential for mHealth applications in addressing both serious chronic and contagious diseases,” said H. Stephen Lieber, President & CEO, HIMSS Worldwide, a cause-based not-for-profit global enterprise that produces health IT thought leadership around the world.

A high profile panel discussion featuring a line-up of distinguished speakers including Dr Samir Pujari from the World Health Organization and Dr Hani Skendar from the International Telecommunications Union will open the event and present the case for the deployment of international protocols for mHealth solutions to fight the expensive wave of chronic diseases that are straining healthcare systems in the GCC and the developed world.

Contagious diseases, such as MERS, will also be debated with Dr Russell Gann, a world-renowned expert and advisor to renowned organisations such as the Centers for Disease Control, US State Department, Department of Defense and the World Health Organization, set to engage conference delegates on global strategies and systematic approaches in the battle to fight and contain contagious disease. Dr. Russell Gann is presently serving as the Director for Medical Informatics and Modernization for Vinnell Arabia at the Ministry of the National Guard, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Health Affairs Directorate.

Dr Gann will argue that effective mHealth and epidemic reporting systems should be able to detect and respond to disease or contagion outbreak within just one metre of the reported outbreak; and provide recommendations on what governments, hospitals and the industry need to be doing now to combat contagious disease like MERS, and how to remain vigilant against the potential of future outbreaks.

The hot topic of gamification in the healthcare industry will headline two sessions on May 28^th 2014, led by strategic event partner the Games for Health Project. The initiative supports the development of the health games community, champions efforts to mainstream health games, and brings together researchers, health professionals, and game developers to share best practices, and information about the impact games and game technologies can have on health, health care, and policy.

“Engaging patients and wellness-focused consumers is imperative if mHealth is to become a go-to resource for the general public as well as the healthcare community. We and are seeing the implementation of the first generation of market-ready, game-based projects and the Middle East is ready to embrace and deploy this exciting new wave of opportunity, which will be especially useful when combating the prevalence of lifestyle illnesses such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease,” said Lieber.