VPS Healthcare unveils four pillars strategy to conquer cancer
ABU DHABI- VPS Healthcare, an integrated healthcare provider with a network of hospitals and clinics, has announced a new collaboration with Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital (SSMH), The Republic of Korea’s innovative oncology center, to establish state-of-the-art cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and research facilities across the UAE, starting in Abu Dhabi this year.
The partnership between VPS Healthcare and SSMH is intended to usher in a new era of healthcare in the UAE, characterized by extensive and comprehensive care for cancer patients, particularly in the areas of prevention and early detection.
To achieve these ambitious goals, VPS Healthcare and SSMH are employing a four pillar strategy:
1) Setting up of health promotion centers;
2) education and awareness;
3) assembling a team of expert medical professionals and state-of-the-art technology for comprehensive cancer care and rehabilitation; and
4) research and development.
“Our four pillar approach is critical to achieving comprehensive success in the battle against cancer,” said Dr.Shamsheer Vayalil, VPS Healthcare’s Managing Director. “The establishment of an extensive network of healthcare centers, the fielding of both leading medical professionals and top-of-the-line technology, the employment of a comprehensive approach to treatment and rehabilitation, and education and awareness services – all of these endeavors are essential to success. VPS Healthcare is dedicated to bringing a high quality sustainable healthcare delivery system to the Emirati community.”
“We are incredibly excited about this partnership, and the potential it has for a positive impact on the battle against cancer in the UAE,” said Dr. Hoo Guen Chun, Director of SSMH’s Comprehensive Cancer Institute. “The team at VPS Healthcare share with SSMH a passion for and dedication to providing easily available screenings and consistent, quality care for patients.”
SSMH brings to the partnership decades of experience and innovation. Their Comprehensive Cancer Institute is a pioneering center based on the multidisciplinary team approach now envisioned for the VPS Healthcare’s Health Promotion Centers.
Moreover, SSMH acts as a leading multifunctional hub for clinical services, health education, and groundbreaking research. SSMH is one of the top ranking institutes in Korea in medical academics, and has established wide-ranging specialty centers to combat a multitude of cancers, and has achieved great surgical success as well, performing more than 430 hematopoietic stem cell transplantations for leukemia, multiple
myeloma, malignant lymphoma, and other hematopoietic disorders.
SSMH will primarily be acting as VPS Healthcare’s technical services partner, advising on the methodology for the establishment of the new centers, the acquisition of the best technological tools, and the assembling world-class teams of medical professionals and technical experts.
However SSMH will also be providing a wide range of consulting services in pursuit of the success of VPS Healthcare’s strategic goals, drawing on a wealth of institutional knowledge.
Modern healthcare in recent years has become focused health maintenance and disease prevention, promoting healthy eating and exercising habits, as well as regular screenings to detect any problems at the early stages.
SSMH has achieved great successes in many areas utilizing this approach, and has a world-renowned record of achievement, ranking in the top tier worldwide in the 5-year survival rate metric.
VPS Healthcare’s plan is to leverage SSMH’s technical know-how and experience in setting up and managing its Health Promotion Centers.
The first of VPS Healthcare’s Health Promotion Centers will be established in the Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi by the end of 2014, where cancers such as lung and gastrointestinal cancer are common.
A second facility will be included as part of the new Korean Hospital in Dubai, which is being constructed by VPS Healthcare in partnership with Meydan MHK Healthcare under the direction of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, pursuant to establishing Dubai as a destination for medical tourism.
The new facility, located on the Meydan Racecourse District Grounds in Dubai, will cover a 280,000 square foot plot, and comprises two buildings housing 170 patient beds, 7 operating rooms, and employing over 600 highly trained medical and care staff.
VPS Healthcare’s strategic vision is to have an extensive network of Health Promotion Centers across the UAE and other countries within 5 years.
“VPS Healthcare embraces the philosophy that readily available screening and early detection are the critical keys to alleviating cancer,” explained Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil. “In support of this, these new centers will focus extensively on detection and accurate diagnosis, implementing test programs stratified by age, organ system and family history.
In addition, VPS Healthcare also plans to focus heavily on health promotion, research, and epidemiology, utilizing the experience and expertise of our Korean partners.”
One of the innovative projects that VPS Healthcare plans to make available to its patients is what they call the Unique Health Navigator Program. This is a pioneering individualized approach to treatment, focused on the exploration and utilization of the genetic, familial, environmental, cultural and personal circumstances of individual patients, in order to more
accurately apply customized treatment to patients.
“Every patient is different,” said Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil. “There are generalities and consistencies in biological and medical terms, but each patient has their own unique make-up, as well as individual circumstances that influence and affect health. VPS Healthcare wants to explore these individual realities in order to find more effective methods of treatment for patients on a case-by-case basis.”
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil went on to explain that education is equally important in fighting cancer. “On education front, we have dual approach. We would like to create a program for community awareness by conducting several media campaigns, as well as contribute
to the collective knowledge of the medical community by organizing international conferences on cancer prevention and early detection.”
Over the next 2 years, these Health Promotion Centers will become fully affiliated with VPS Healthcare’s upcoming Burjeel Medical City, a 1 million square foot complex to be located at Mohammed Bin Zayed City.
“Burjeel Medical City will provide comprehensive healthcare, with specialty services such as oncology, acute care, long term care, and wellness,” explained Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil.
“Its oncology center will provide comprehensive care for various cancers and provide critical treatments, including bone marrow transplants, for patients.”
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil concluded: “We are confident that setting up of such state-of-the art facilities will not only preclude the need for many patients to go overseas for treatment, but also change the overall perception of healthcare arena in UAE by attracting patients throughout the region. Above all, this initiative will save millions of dollars spent abroad
on cancer treatment and avoid hassle of taking patients out of the country.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.