NEWSLETTER - VOL - 1, ISSUE - 3 - APRIL - 2014
CEO’s Introduction: Dear Colleagues, 2014 is moving very quickly and it is hard to keep track of all the exciting activities going on across the group.
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ince the start of the year we have seen continued growth throughout PHD, Ibin Sina and the Sharjah Corniche Groups and with the opening of our new laboratories in Dubai and Al Ain and the expansion of the Sharjah Corniche Hospital together with the launch of our Occupational Health Services and Homecare support, we should reach even greater heights later in the year.
CONTENTS CEO Introduction Group News • Sharjah Corniche Hospital Group • PHD Group • Ibin Sina Group Events • Arab Health - 2014 • 16th International CME - April 2014 Mobile Health • AAH - Biometric Bus Quality • Clinical Governance, Patient Safety and Quality HR Section • Reward and Recognition - 2014 • Employee of the Month Award • Happy Video Marketing Section • Central Marketing Activity Update • Our Doctors in the Community • Our Doctors Online • Concord Hospitals & Medical Centre • Website & Social Media links Operational Update Health Matters • EBLM vs Insurance Policies • The Sunset Years • Nutrition Lies Cookery Club Editor’s Note
With the Occupational Health joint venture with AXA ICAS, we now have our mobile health ‘bus’ which will continue to provide patient screening at our employer partner premises as well as supporting homecare and the Ibin Sina Schools Program. The First Gulf Bank family day and subsequent tour of 30 FGB offices was good fun and also helped to identify 10-20% of employees who had high blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels that needed further investigation. Special thanks go to all the teams from Sharjah Corniche and PhD as well as ‘Shekhar’ our Amina Hospital Sun Flower mascot volunteer! In March, we launched our group wide patient safety program led by Dr. Eduard Lotz and Rita Taylor. I was proud to see the whole group coming together and committing to work towards JCI standards and improve the systems and processes we use for providing care to our patients. It will be a long and challenging road but it is essential for our vision that we work towards this with all the energy and enthusiasm that we can muster. The other big project that we will be starting shortly is the introduction of a new ‘Hospital Information System’ (HIS) which will involve everyone in the group. This is a big investment and will ensure that everything we do is captured and systemised. We will eventually be able to store patient records, all treatment plans and the diagnostics that are recommended by our Doctors. These details will automatically generate the correct bills for patients and the right electronic coding for claim submissions to insurance companies giving even greater efficiencies to our organization.
www.angloarabian-healthcare.com
Mark Adams,
CEO & Founder, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Having gone through this process many times, I know how much easier it will make everyone’s life after the system has been installed and we have all got used to using it. I also know that there will be teething problems and frustrations as we implement the system and again, I will ask for your understanding and support. Zia our Head of IT and Dr. Mahesh and Dr. Gafoor have gone through over 21 different evaluations before deciding on the right system and I have every confidence that this will be another big step forward for Anglo Arabian Healthcare this year. Finally, it gives me great pleasure in congratulating all of our colleagues who were nominated for the different awards at our annual Reward and Recognition Event at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. With over 195 nominations I know it was terribly difficult for the selection committee’s to reach their decisions and in my eyes all nominees are winners. I should however congratulate our Employee of the Year and Almaz winner Allan Pereira who deservedly wins this first AAH award and for an individual who has the right values, commitment to the cause and is a role model for the company. I am grateful to have you as a colleague. Best wishes, Mark Adams CEO & Founder, Anglo Arabian Healthcare mark.adams@angloarabian-healthcare.com
GROUP NEWS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Changes and Exciting Times Ahead for the Sharjah Corniche Hospital Group Another great first quarter of the year has gone by that has consisted of a huge amount of activity, events and exciting opportunities for the group. Here is a snapshot of some of the events that were organised: In-house Screening programs and campaigns included Women’s Health Day, Ongoing Dental Campaigns to boost the patient flow in the Dental Departments in DMC and UMC, ENT promotions and vaccination campaigns in both SCH and DMC.
Local community screening programs were organized by Lejpath in the Manama Supermarkets and the Mega Mall in Sharjah that had a huge response from the customers as well as opening up opportunities to expand the initiatives across the Manama Supermarket groups throughout the Northern Emirates.
Visit by Dr Alexander Krakovsky (US Based Plastic Surgeon and ranked in the top 100 plastic surgeons worldwide) had a fantastic response for new patients as well as initiating fresh opportunities for new ventures in cosmetic education programs. We would like to thank all the staff that were involved in making the above events a success and we look forward to opening the ground floor extension at Sharjah Corniche Hospital that will provide more exposure and more services for our communities.
Sharjah Corniche Hospital also welcomes the following Doctors and services to the group:
Dr. Malaz Yabrodi has joined the Internal Medicine Department to ease the load in the very busy Internal Medicine department.
Dr. Emad Alnounou has joined Cardiology department and has already made a positive impact to the department within a short space of time. There are ongoing cardiology marketing campaigns to make this department a great success. The Sharjah Corniche Nurses supported screening programs for the First Gulf Bank at their Family Fun Day in Abu Dhabi as well as for Deloitte. These events were organized by Rita Taylor and Paul Firth as part of the occupational and employee wellbeing services that will be expanded across the whole of the Anglo Arabian Healthcare Group.
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Dr. Abdoul Rahaman has joined the Orthopaedic Department, specializing in Arthroscopic Surgeries boosting the vision of Dr. Mahesh to create the best Orthopaedic Centre in the Northern Emirates.
GROUP NEWS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
With these inclusion and addition of new space we have exciting times ahead:
Upgrade in the IT infrastructure already initialized by Zia and Eldho
New fat expansion in Doctors Medical Centre with the inclusion of 3 specialties
With new marketing executives set to join, we are looking forward to even more exciting new campaigns in collaboration with the local supermarket chains as well as local businesses.
Sharjah Corniche Hospital ground floor is almost ready and shall be shifting a few departments so as to ease the space on the existing floors. Back office shifting to the building across the road which will solve the space constraint and a solution for a proper filing system and storage.
Allan Pereira General Manager, Sharjah Corniche Hospital Group Email: gm@thesch.com
We wish a warm welcome to the following team members who have joined the SCH Group since the first of January 2014: Employee Name
Job Title
Department
Business Unit
Anila K P
Laboratory Technican
Laboratory
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Susamma Samuel
Laboratory Technican
Laboratory
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Rhodora R Jimemez
Receptionist
Front Office
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Dr. Malaz Yabrodi
Specialist Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Cicy Jaimon
OPD Nurse
Nursing
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Dr. Emad Alnounou
Specialist Cardiologist
Cardiology
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Dr. Abdoul Rahman
Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon
Orthopaedic
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Nazneen Fatima
Insurance Coordinator
Administration
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Javaria Osman
Receptionist
Front Office
Doctors Medical Centre
SharjahCornicheHospital
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GROUP NEWS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Proficiency Healthcare Laboratory Expansion
a part of Anglo Arabian Healthcare
During our journey with Proficiency Healthcare Diagnostics (PHD) laboratories, we are facing many challenges. One of these challenges is the outsourcing of special tests. PHD should always provide accurate, reliable results in a timely and cost effective manner. The challenge now, is whether PHD should perform highly specialized testing in house or to continue to send it abroad or to perform it in house and expand our scope of services.
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s a young laboratory in the UAE, some of the tests we are receiving are rare tests and not requested frequently by physicians therefore, PHD hesitates to start it in-house but there are many difficulties of sending it outside the country as follows: 1. The test is more expensive than what insurance are paying back therefore, it is not cost effective in the end. 2. The turnaround time for a test sent outside is very long since logistics has to be considered. 3. The non-availability of proper logistics, such as sample tracking and temperature monitoring. After stating the above reasons of which there are many other factors to consider, PHD decided to expand its spectrum by commencing a molecular pathology and cytogenetic laboratory including highly specialized biochemistry and immunology test capabilities. Through this expansion, PHD will reduce the cost of send outs by 80% and will become one of the biggest private referral laboratory networks in the UAE. PHD can now also go further in being able to provide quality assured laboratory services to other GCC countries.
Dr. Mohammed Bahani Managing Director, Proficiency Healthcare Diagnostics
We wish a warm welcome to the following team members who have joined the PHD Group since the first of January 2014:
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Employee Name
Job Title
Department
Business Unit
Geraldine Casanares
Medical Laboratory Technologist
Microbiology
PHD Abu Dhabi
Mohamed Ashik
Driver
Administration
PHD Abu Dhabi
Vaniza S. Clarin
Receptionist
Administration
PHD Abu Dhabi
Yuvette Barrio
Date Entry Clerk
Data Entry
PHD Abu Dhabi
Maricar Deocampo
Medical Laboratory Technologist
Biochemistry
PHD Abu Dhabi
Gemma Mole Lamoste
Medical Laboratory Technologist
General
PHD Al Ain
Buthaina Al Hariri
Operations Supervisor
Operations
PHD Dubai
/ProficiencyCentralLaboratories
GROUP NEWS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
The Ibin Sina Group continues to go from strength to strength The Ibin Sina Medical Centre in Al Quds Street, Ajman is getting used to seeing 700+ patients during each busy Saturday. We salute our Doctors and the hardworking staff who show no hesitation in serving all our customers who walk through the doors to ensure that they are seen as promptly as possible and that they have a very good experience with us.
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here are plenty of plans in place to improve the physical appearance of the clinic including a fresh lick of paint on the internal stairways and corridors. Once this has been completed, the new signs will go up to ensure that our patients can be directed easily to whichever floor they need to go to.
The receptionists shall soon to be enjoying their smart new uniforms and participating in further regular monthly Customer Relationship Management training sessions to ensure that we offer the very best CRM services to our patients and further support our Doctors and the success of the business.
With ongoing support and guidance from Mohammed Ali, General Manager at Ibin Sina, we shall support the improvements and growth by expanding and rearranging areas of the clinic to improve waiting areas and make it even more convenient for our patients. Once these decisions have been made, we shall begin to refresh each floor internally by repainting certain areas. We are working towards identifying areas of improvement and shall implement these throughout the year in other clinics too.
We wish to take this opportunity to send a warm welcome to the following team members whom have joined the Ibin Sina Group since the 1st of January 2014: Employee Name
Job Title
Department
Business Unit
Nesrin Elmeligy
Pharmacist
Grand Pharmacy
Grand Emirates Pharmacy
Lijesh Vadakke Valappil
Marketing Executive
Marketing
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Nowfal Puthanpurakkal
Insurance Coordinator
Insurance
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Shan Muhammed Khadar
Archives Clerk
Administration
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Mujmil Muhammed Buhari Kunju
Archives Clerk
Administration
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Genesis Ann De Guzman
Archives Clerk
Administration
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Heart Kriska Sarenas
Archives Clerk
Administration
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Dr. Sana Mehek
Specialist Paediatrician
Paediatrics
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Many congratulations to Nijam Mohideen from the Ibin Sina Group who is the first employee to benefit from a reward of AED 7,000 for successfully referring a doctor under the Employee Referral Scheme. Please continue sending referral CVs to “recruitment@angloarabian-healthcare.com� and if your candidate is recruited you could also benefit from a reward of up to AED 7,000!
/IbinSinaMedicalCentre
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EVENTS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Arab Health January 2014 The Arab Health Exhibition 2014 held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, saw Anglo Arabian Healthcare participate for the very first time. Preparations were made months ahead to ensure that our presence created maximum impact and that our new healthcare brands, Amina Hospitals and Proficiency Healthcare Diagnostics (PHD), were welcomed and successfully integrated into the existing multitude of well known medical, diagnostics and healthcare brands.
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rab Health 2014 that took place on 27th-30th January 2014, increased its size from previous years, with an extra 6,000m2 of exhibition space hosting an additional 400 exhibitors in the new Za’abeel Hall 4. Visitor and delegate numbers were also up by a staggering 12%, therefore making it a prime time to launch our new brands.
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27th - 30th January 2014 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre
Amina Hospitals were introduced to the International and Middle Eastern professional medical communities with much success and enjoyed huge attention from inquisitive Doctors and visiting delegates. One of the primary objectives for the Amina stand was the Recruitment drive. With such an attractive stand and an incredibly enthusiastic team, over 120 CV’s were collected along with armfuls of compliments and enquiries from medical professionals and support staff wishing to work with us. Amina Hospital was also able to showcase the medical services and expertise of our Sharjah Corniche Hospital that is in the delicate process of re-branding to Amina Hospital, Sharjah Corniche. This process will take up to two years and with the introduction of Amina style uniforms for all staff together with the makeover of signages and the internal look and feel, we are sure that this process will bring plenty of benefits to our patients and our business.
EVENTS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
The Amina Hospital, Ajman is scheduled to open in the next few months and our participation at Arab Health, that this year, saw an amazing increase of 12% for visiting delegates from all over the world. With the additional benefit of the Amina Hospitals website launching days before Arab Health, we continue to receive many online enquiries from those wishing to work with us and join us on our journey to become one of the most respected healthcare providers throughout the UAE. Proficiency Healthcare Diagnostics enjoyed huge attention from delegates and the media not only because of a very impressive stand but because the PHD laboratory in Abu Dhabi was one of only three nominees to be selected for The Roche Excellence in Laboratory Award, and the only contender from the United Arab Emirates. What an absolutely amazing achievement and our thanks go to Dr. Rana Nabulsi for submitting the nomination papers to the Arab Health Awards committee. Having seen the amount of information that was required, I can confirm that this was no easy task!
April - 2014
and well deserved”. I think that Mark summed up very well, how proud we all are for this prestigious nomination and recognition of PHD’s commitment to teamwork and quality. With the Middle Eastern healthcare industry estimated to be worth $80 billion per year and currently experiencing enormous growth, Anglo Arabian Healthcare recognise the importance and significance of the award nomination. With the opening of two more Anglo Arabian Healthcare hospitals in Ajman and Dubai, we are confident that 2015 will bring even greater rewards for the entire group.
2014 Statistics
“We are very proud of the entire PHD team, who we have always known are an incredible group of Doctors, technologists, nurses and a great support team. They are all 100% committed to patient safety, accurate, reliable and timely diagnostics and it is great to see that their peers are recognising the fantastic achievements of this winning team. Being selected as one of the top three nominees throughout the Middle East, and the only group from the UAE is in itself, an enormous achievement
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CME Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
16th International CME Event Update Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ajman On the 3rd and 4th of April we welcomed delegates to the 16th Ibin Sina Medical and Dental CME’s in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Although this series was the 16th for the Ibin Sina team, it was the first in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for AAH. We only had a few months to plan and organise these events and it was incredible how quickly time was passing each day – but we did it!
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ach CME has had its own individual successes and drawbacks dependent on an array of factors involved, however it has been a monumental learning curve which is always a positive outcome. We have certainly learnt that what works in one Emirate may not work in others. We have also learnt the fundamental need for market research, careful planning and systematic reporting however dull they may sound. We also must remind ourselves that even the smallest and most seemingly insignificant of achievements must be recognised and celebrated in order to keep up motivation and momentum.
In Abu Dhabi, the CME was held at the Dusit Thani Hotel and welcomed over 200 delegates with the pleasant need for more chairs to be added to each room. Both venues were fantastically accommodating and beautifully decorated and we look forward to working with them in future. We were joined by 7 external sponsors exhibiting at both events and have certainly achieved our objective of increasing awareness of AAH and our various assets. We have now established an initial footprint in each of the Emirates and are already receiving more enquiries about what we do and who we are.
Whatever complications and problems we faced along the way we have proved as a team that we can achieve and accomplish great things when working together no matter how impossible they may seem. One of the toughest and most important aspects of organising CME’s is the process for accreditation approval with Dubai Health Authority, Health Authority of Abu Dhabi, UAE University and Ministry of Health – all of which we are proud to have achieved.
Evaluation forms were filled out by all delegates and on average we scored 4 out of 5 and higher on content, delivery and program objectives which is a fantastic achievement. One of the key constructive suggestions which we are keen to implement is the development of hands-on, simulation based CME sessions which we hope to bring forward throughout 2014. As always, we strive to deliver topics which cater to our society’s demographics and each healthcare professional’s personal interests and needs. Please do send us your suggestions of what you would like to see at our next CME’s.
The CME in Dubai was held at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medical Academic Centre in Dubai Healthcare City and surprisingly welcomed more dentists than doctors. As an event organiser, one of the best moments to witness is when your audience genuinely shows signs of being captivated, enthusiastic and responsive to the content that is being delivered which was the case with the dental stream in Dubai. Such engagement is key during events as it directly impacts each individual in the room and encourages the speakers to deliver even better content when knowing your audience is actually listening. Although Dubai had lower attendance numbers than Abu Dhabi, all delegates and speakers came out of each lecture buzzing with conversation and contributing ideas for future sessions. In cases such as this, lower delegate numbers create a more intimate and connected atmosphere which encourages discussion and longer lasting relationships.
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CME Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
We will be continuing the partnership with Imperial College London and our other medical and dental speakers who all thoroughly enjoyed their time in the UAE and being a part of our inaugural AAH CME programme. We are proud to have brought internationally benchmarked theory and clinical based research to the UAE and to have contributed to better education and standards of healthcare in the region. Full analysis of the feedback from our evaluation forms will be available in our next newsletter edition. Finally, thank you to each and every individual who has been involved in the development of our CME’s, it couldn’t have been done without you. Emma Taylor CME Manager, Anglo Arabian Healthcare emma.taylor@angloarabian-healthcare.com
CMEUAE
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MOBILE AAH HEALTH NEWS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Anglo Arabian Healthcare on the Road with the BioMetric Bus Following completion of the new AAH / ICAS partnership in January which will support the development of new Occupational Health and Corporate Wellbeing services from AAH/ ICAS, February saw the arrival of AAH’s BIOMETRIC MOBILE BUS. This AAH branded bus will be used for delivery of mobile screening services under both the Occupational Health and Homecare operations.
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his is AAH’s first move in to provision of mobile healthcare services and supports a directive issued by Sheikh Mohammed to launch the implementation phase of the mobile healthcare services programme to provide services in remote areas during his attendance of the Government Innovation Lab organised by the Ministry of Health. Following the arrival of the bus it was straight in to action supporting a new contract with First Gulf Bank for provision of Biometric Screening for all its employees. As part of the BMI screening programme, each FGB employee would be screened for the following; • Height • Weight • Blood pressure • Glucose levels • Cholesterol levels They were then provided with their personalised BMI score card. Those employees identified with some potential health risks were offered immediate feedback and advise from the nurses present on the day who were provided by the Sharjah Corniche Hospital.
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The programme ran over two weeks starting with a big launch at the First Gulf Bank Family Fun Day held at Al Forsan Sports Resorts on 28th February in Abu Dhabi. The AAH BioMetric Bus was present for the whole day with a full team from AAH and the Sharjah Corniche Hospital. Over the next 9 hours along with a great team effort, we screened over 480 people. The Amina Hospitals Sun Flower Mascot also attracted great interest with many kids and adults wanting to have their photograph taken. Little did they know who was hiding inside the outfit getting very hot…. Thank you Shekhar for getting very hot for a good cause!
MOBILE HEALTH Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Over the following two weeks, the bus then went on tour around 12 First Gulf Bank branch sites across Abu Dhabi and Dubai screening in total over 1,800 employees. Overall the programme was a great success for First Gulf Bank and a fantastic start for the launch of AAH’s first ever BioMetric Bus. As we develop our Occupational Health and Homecare services, we will see the AAH BioMetric Bus traveling around the UAE. Should you know of any company wishing to utilize the AAH BioMetric Bus then contact Paul Firth, Director Occupational Health and Corporate Wellness or Cissi Thomson, Head of Homecare Services. Paul Firth Director, Occupational Health & Corporate Wellness, Anglo Arabian Healthcare paul.firth@angloarabian-healthcare.com
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) With the recent and widespread publicity of the tragic death of a health worker in Al Ain from MERS, it is important that you are aware of the symptoms and know how to keep yourself safe.
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ERS emerged in the Middle East in 2012 and is from the same family as the SARS virus, which killed around 800 people worldwide after first appearing in China in 2002. MERS can cause coughing, fever and pneumonia.
As we approach the summer and potentially begin to plan our trips overseas, it is wise to ensure we do what we can to remain safe and avoid the spread of infection.
Coronaviruses are the cause of the common cold but can also be the cause of more severe illnesses including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). At this time, there is still more to learn about this new strain of coronavirus. People who have been infected with MERS-CoV have experienced influenza-like illness with signs and symptoms of pneumonia, which may include coughing, mucous, shortness of breath, malaise, chest pain and/or fever. Many have also had gastrointestinal symptoms such as Diarrhoea.
• Protect yourself and others from the spread of germs and flu-like illness.
The World Health Organization continues to work with relevant ministries of health and other international partners to support investigations to gain a better understanding of the disease and its risks.
/ AngloArabianHealthcare
Recommendations
• Stay up-to-date with your vaccinations.
• Be aware that the risk may be higher for travellers with chronic medical conditions (e.g.: diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory disease) who may require medical care while abroad. • Practice safe water and food precautions.
• Avoid close contact with all wild or farmed animals, such as bats and camels. • Monitor your health regularly
Reference: WHO and http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices/novel-coronavirus
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QUALITY Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Clinical Governance, Patient Safety and Quality at Anglo Arabian Healthcare Patient Safety and Quality was a topic that previously needed only a cursory glance and not too much attention. Times have changed!
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atient Safety and Quality is one of the pillars on which AAH has built its business and reputation as an organisation that provides the best healthcare to patients and their families wherever we are. Clinical Governance covers a vast array of topics that we have always known about, and probably always taken for granted. So why dream up a not-so-catchy title for things we already do or know? What exactly does this topic mean? How does it affect our day-to-day functioning as a clinic or hospital or laboratory? What is expected from a doctor, or nurse, or receptionist or any member of our staff in this framework? These questions were addressed at a very successful launch of our Patient Safety and Quality Journey to doctors, nurses and staff at the Al Qasba Theatre in Sharjah during March. “At AAH, we always do what is right for our patients. We work tiresomely to ensure our facilities are safe and our staff are well-trained. This is the foundation of why we exist as an organisation” said Mark Adams, CEO of AAH. Dr. Mahesh and Dr. Gafoor Managing Directors said “At Ibin Sina and Sharjah Corniche Hospital we never compromise on patient safety. As a team, we address any potential shortcomings in our service with focused attention and hard work ensuring patients will be safe”. At the launch; it was a privilege to listen to Dr. Ashraf Ismail, Managing Director for JCI in the Middle East extending his full support and encouragement to all the staff for the challenging journey to a successful JCI accreditation.
Dr Eduard Lotz, Director of Secondary Care and Ms Rita Taylor, Director of Nursing and Quality shared the Clinical Governance Framework and roadmap to accreditation with all the attending Doctors and staff. Anglo Arabian Healthcare aims to provide high quality clinical care and services that have measurable outcomes and that are both cost-effective and appropriate to our business objectives. AAH is committed to providing the highest quality of healthcare service to patients being treated and this will be achieved within the comprehensive framework of Clinical Governance that has been established. In practice Clinical Governance has been around for centuries. Since the days of Hippocrates medical practitioners have had a code of ethics to adhere to such as the dictum “first do no harm”. The need for better management and accountability of healthcare provision has thus led to the all-embracing concept of Clinical Governance which includes Patient Safety and Quality. Clinical Governance is not just a set of rules and regulations set by senior management. It is a concept which involves every person who is involved in the healthcare sector, whether they are the patients, a director, a manager, a clinician (doctors, nurses and technicians), a receptionist or a cleaner. Clinical Governance directly contributes to who we are as a healthcare team and supports our combined vision for where we are going and the type of service we want to deliver to all our patients. Quality is not a static concept – it is continuously evolving and changing so as to keep up to date with new developments within healthcare and to continuously promote quality improvements. There are, however, some consistent elements which are incorporated within Clinical Governance, including the following topics: • Audit • Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management • Patient Involvement and Experience • Lifelong Learning through CME and Continued Professional Development • Evidence Based Medicine and • Change Management
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QUALITY Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
The working principles behind our Clinical Governance and Quality program are as follows: • Processes are incorporated within a written policy with welldefined structures and accountability • The process is one of continuous improvement where results are fed back to all staff and stakeholders. Improvements are made and monitoring systems are in place to monitor the improvements • The process involves the whole of the clinical team – not simply select professional groups or within select professional boundaries and • The process is ‘open’, reflecting the willingness of the organization to learn from other using comparisons and benchmarks, accepting accountability for clinical performance and engendering a culture of a ‘learning organization’. Clinical treatment and care is monitored to reflect whether clinical standards are being upheld and patient satisfaction is being maintained. AAH aim to participate in the improvement of patient care across the Gulf region and to ensure that we continue to practice ‘what is right’. To do so, AAH has adopted nice Clinical Principles, which form the guide for everything that is done at any of our facilities. 1. Safety - Patient safety is paramount and un-comprisable 2. Assurance - Robust Clinical Quality Assurance framework 3. Leadership - Strong local Clinical Leadership expected 4. Comparisons - Benchmarking is needed against quality indicators against local, regional and international data 5. Improvement - Continuous Quality Improvement structures and processes are needed 6. Compliance - Adherence is demanded to all local regulatory directives 7. Professionalism - Follow guidance from International Professional Bodies (e.g. Royal Colleges in the UK, US equivalent, any Other) 8. Standardization – Where possible, standardization of clinical care expected 9. Standards - Regular appraisal of service and staff against standards e.g. JCI
By diligent application of the above principles and associated standards, involvement and understanding of these processes by each and every staff member, we will achieve our quality goals. This also provides the foundation for learning and our continuous quality improvements. In order to actively manage this Clinical Governance, Patient Safety and Quality framework, the organisation has a dedicated Clinical Governance, Patient Safety and Quality Steering Committee. This committee advises, guides and monitors both internal and external drivers of quality and communicates these directly to each Business Unit. The Clinical Governance, Patient Safety and Quality Committee reports directly to the Anglo Arabian Healthcare Board. Anglo Arabian Healthcare systematically reviews and audits specific standards, clinical indicators and practices in order to improve the delivery of healthcare. ‘Clinical Audit’ has been defined as “the systematic and critical analysis of the quality of clinical care, including the procedures for the diagnosis, treatment and care, the associated use of resources and the resulting outcome and quality of life for the patient”. This auditing process will utilize the electronic patient record which forms part of the wider HIS system. This HIS will be able to deliver data to audit clinical events, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction surveys, and performance indicators and thus helps to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of day-to-day operations. Audit is not just confined to producing data reports on clinical outcomes, incidents and other such statistics. The organisation will utilize information to analyze current working practice and find ways to continuously improve these practices.
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QUALITY Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Through this proactive awareness and incident reporting patient safety is assured, harm and losses are kept to a minimum. Anglo Arabian Healthcare’s existence revolves around treating patients. Therefore we not only need to ensure that the quality of the care they receive is appropriate and of the highest quality possible, but that patients feel involved in their own care and treatment, as well as enjoy the care experience. This means that we as a company must provide a number of the following key elements so as to enable the patient to feel involved and comfortable in what can be a stressful and frightening environment: • Joint Decision Making and Patient gives Consent • Be allowed to Complain • Have the Opportunity to Give Feedback • All Patient discussions / records and date is kept Confidential; • Sharing of information and • A very pleasant Patient Centered Environment. Anglo Arabian Healthcare will analyze both poor and excellent performance within its units and strive to implement the necessary changes to drive all practices towards excellent performance. By continuously auditing, reviewing, implementing changes, and re-auditing practice within the organisation, continuous quality improvements will be gained. While the HIS system will analyze day to day activities across the organisation and provide various statistics useful or audit purposes, we also encourage staff members to carry out research in the areas in which they work. This research will provide not only professional development and credibility for individuals and the organisation but also help to benchmark our performance against other providers, or record any innovative practices we carry out within our day to day work. Clinical practice always involves an element of risk. Mistakes and accidents will happen, and may harm patients either permanently or temporarily. However, by being aware of the various risks involved in every aspect of care we deliver, we can avoid or reduce these risks to some degree, and be prepared to take the necessary actions should problems arise. This is the essence of risk management. Risk Management is an integral part of every activity within the organisation. Risk Management receives the direct support of the Anglo Arabian Healthcare Board and is applied throughout its strategy and operations. Staff members are encouraged to be consciously alert to all occurrences and situations where loss, injury or death may occur. This is also called incident reporting. All staff are obliged to report anything they are worried, or unhappy, about through the incident reporting system. This is a very important system to identify potential weaknesses in any systems or process and to correct it, to learn from it and to improve. All incidents are investigated and included in our audit process, and the reporting of incidents is also audited. This is to ensure that we highlight problematic areas or practices and implement the necessary learning to prevent re-occurrence of the incident. No staff will ever be punished or penalised for reporting anything they are unhappy about in the delivery of care in any of our business units. The idea behind incident reporting is not to apportion blame to particular individuals, but to encourage shared learning from such incidents.
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Patients have the right to know everything related to their condition, proposed treatment, likely outcomes, likely complications, and so on. Anglo Arabian strongly believes that patients must be jointly involved in decisions regarding their care. Every member of the hospital team must respect this right and do everything possible to ensure that patients receive the information necessary to answer their questions and concerns and allow them to make informed decisions. In order to continuously improve our services, patients must be able to provide feedback at anytime during or after their treatment episode at the hospital. Staff must be approachable and also continuously ask patients for their opinions about the care they have received. Where possible patients should be asked to complete the patient satisfaction survey. This enables us to regularly gather information about the care patients received in a consistent, replicable and auditable format. We also accept that patients will not only provide positive feedback, but will also complain about our services. Complaints must always be received in a professional and calm manner, and the Complaints Protocol must be initiated and followed until the complaint has based resolved. Complaints are taken very seriously within Anglo Arabian Healthcare as they provide not only a negative image of the company if poorly handled, but can also provide excellent information on poorly performing areas and how to instigate changes to improve the care to future patients. Patients or their families may make complaints either verbally or in writing, and do so either during the care episode or afterward. All complaints must be passed on to the Customer Services Representation registered, acknowledged, fully investigated and explained. The complainant should be kept informed of the progress of the complaint investigation, and a report to should be given to the complainant within 2 weeks, where possible. If it is not possible to send a completed report to the complainant within 2 weeks, then this must be explained to the complainant and an expected date of completion should be given. All patient information (regardless of the patient’s physical status) will be protected from unauthorized access, loss or damage and respected as confidential by all staff members, contractors or volunteers and will comply with relevant legislation and standards.
/ AngloArabianHealthcare
QUALITY Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
Patients need to be informed that medical staff are mandated to report certain conditions to other medical staff, such as communicable diseases and are unable to maintain confidentiality if the nature of any illness patients have is likely to have serious consequences to public health. With regard to both patient consent and confidentiality it will be imperative to not only provide the necessary information regarding these rights, but to also ensure that patients have understood the information. This will ensure that the patients are competent to make informed decisions regarding their rights. Medicine is a continuously evolving mixture of art and science. New technologies and interventions appear on a daily basis to improve disease diagnoses, treatments, outcomes, and reduce mortality and morbidity. Progress in medical technologies has also been matched by equally impressive gains in the availability of medical information via the ever growing database of content available over the internet. Because of this people the world over have the ability to become very well informed with this information, patients and their families or relatives have come to expect, and indeed demand, better and better treatment. Patient have also become more willing to take legal action if treatments fail or are thought to be negligent. These trends are driving healthcare providers to continuously improve the quality of their care so as to both satisfy the patients and prevent litigation. Clinicians not only gain their knowledge and skills from academic study, but from accumulated experience throughout their working careers. This process of lifelong learning is often not enough to keep apace of new technologies and a more demanding patient population. Clinicians now have to prove that they are keeping up to date with the fast pace of medical evolution by attending conferences, lectures, taking further
April - 2014
examinations and reading appropriate journals, or face the prospect of not being fit to practice. Anglo Arabian Healthcare strongly supports this process of lifelong learning, and has had a number of years’ experience with the process of CME (Continued Medical Education). This CME process has proven the mutual benefits to be gained from lifelong learning, and we strongly encourage all employees to attend appropriate courses and study days. The organisation will assist in every way possible in this learning process. Medicine has traditionally been practiced by a combination of trial and error, serendipity, and superstition. The traditional ‘art’ of medical practice has slowly given way to a more scientific practice which has to a large extent been based on evidence based medicine. Applying research evidence is available from a growing number of sources: universities, healthcare corporations, individual clinicians, government bodies, research groups, medical libraries, journals, etc. One of the clinician’s hardest tasks now is not to merely keep updated on clinical practice and use evidence-based medicine, but to choose which of the many sources to look to and chose from! By keeping up to date with national and international clinical guidelines, and conducting internal research, Anglo Arabian Healthcare should be able to continually improve and update its clinical guidelines. Through the Launch of our Patient Safety and Quality Plan, we have embarked on a journey that fills us all with pride; that encourages us to deliver outstanding patient care and to always put our patients first! Dr. Eduard Lotz,
Director of Secondary Care, Anglo Arabian Healthcare eduard.lotz@angloarabian-healthcare.com
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SAY HELLO!! HUMAN RESOURCES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
AAH Annual Reward and Recognition Event 2014 Anglo Arabian Healthcare’s annual Reward and Recognition event took place at the prestigious Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club on the 11th of April 2014, turning out to be a spectacular event that many of us would remember for a long time.
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s the sun set over the Dubai Creek, the venue transformed into a glittering jewel with the Anglo Arabian Healthcare logo being proudly projected high onto the sails of the golf club, laying claim to the fact that this really was going to be a very special AAH night. As the buses arrived from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman, it was delightful to see so many of our teams turning up looking very smart, the ladies in particular, dressed in exquisite dresses and finery. As wafts of deliciously scented aromas hung in the air, the tables were slowly filled with excited friends and broad smiles anticipating what the night ahead held.
The time had come in the evening’s celebrations to reveal the winner of the Al Maz award; someone who had demonstrated all of the company values, was well respected and really went the extra mile to ensure success. Allan Pereira, General Manager at the Sharjah Corniche Hospital was welcomed onto the stage to huge applause and accepted his well-deserved Reward in recognition of his efforts for the group. Obviously well loved and admired, Allan was a very popular winner, securing the majority of votes from his colleagues and co-workers across the group.
Mark Adams opened the evening and officially welcomed everyone to our Reward and Recognition event, introducing the evening’s hosts, Dr. Jihad Saddeh, Laboratories Operations Manager of the PHD Labs for the Northern Emirates and Dr. Nita Salam, Insurance Manager for AAH - a formidable team! With formal welcomes given in Arabic, Hindi and Tagalog, Dr. Nita proceeded to sing a beautiful song of togetherness that received much applause. Then, a multi-media presentation was played to the audience that took a look back over the years and demonstrated just how much we had achieved as a team, how much we had grown as a company and how far we had come together. Before the ultimate Al Maz, Employee of the year Award was announced, a special movie was played that really demonstrated our company values as well as our ‘one family’ ethos. Anglo Arabian Healthcare’s version of HAPPY was an enormous success and it was really special to hear teams cheering as their co-workers danced away on the screen…. Special thanks go to Shiju Kattarkandy, our long-suffering graphic designer for working long hours late into the night at the office, editing all the footage. PG.
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Al Maz Award Allan Pereira General Manager, Sharjah Corniche Hospital Group
HUMAN RESOURCES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
Last but absolutely not least, in celebration of all the achievements Anglo Arabian Healthcare had garnered over the previous months and in the true spirit of celebration, Prem Mahalin thrilled the crowds with his energetic and exuberant dance performance!
April - 2014
Our Journey and The Happy Song For those of you who haven’t yet seen the two short films played at the event, please type the following links into your browser to see all AAH video productions.
Next year, potentially, we could see the event treble in size as we welcome more employees into the Anglo Arabian Healthcare Family and look back over even more successes with pride, Inshallah.
/ AngloArabHealthcare
http://youtu.be/2FjHfGRNwzY http://youtu.be/pDuIDlRmgzM
Supervisor/Manager of the Year Rahmathunissa Sikander Shariff Lab in Charge, Doctors Medical Centre
Dr. Nirmala Nayagam collected the Employee of the Year - Ibin Sina Group for Anzar Shan, ‘Technician of the Year’ for Ajitha Leela Chandran and ‘Ibin Sina Group Doctor of the Year’ for Dr. Syed Naveed Zaidi from Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Dr. Mohammed Bahani collected the “Lab Star of the Year” award on behalf of Merle Pesinable Epitacio, PHD Abu Dhabi
On behalf of “Nurse of the Year” for Ajeshmon General Nurse, Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Nurse of the Year Adona Castro Tuazon Nurse, Doctors Medical Centre
Administration Star of the Year Agatha Sto. Domingo Quality Assurance Officer, PHD Abu Dhabi
PHD Group Employee of the Year Award Khristine Pamplona General Manager, PHD Abu Dhabi
Driver of the Year Sahar Gul Driver, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
SCH Group Doctor of the Year Dr. Smitha Salim General Practitioner, Doctors Medical Centre
Quality Ambassador of the Year Dr. Rana Nabulsi Quality Improvement Manager, PHD Abu Dhabi
AAH Corporate HQ Award Saif Sakran Corporate Financial Controller, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
SCH Group Employee of the Year Award Azza Awad Hospital Administrator, Sharjah Corniche Hospital
/ AngloArabianHealthcare PG.
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HUMAN RESOURCES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Long Service Award Dr. Jameela Kunhamed Dental Surgeon, Sharjah Corniche Hospital Group
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Long Service Award Sukai Ramanande Bhar Messenger, Sharjah Corniche Hospital Group
Best Dressed Hala Shehadeh PHD, Sharjah
HUMAN RESOURCES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
The Award categories were read out and our winners were welcomed onto the stage to much applause, whoops and cheers! Here is a list of all our winners Category
Winner
Almaz Award
Allan Pereira, General Manager, SCH Group
SCH Group Doctor of the Year
Dr. Smitha Salim, General Practitioner, Doctors Medical Centre
Ibin Sina Group Doctor of the Year
Dr. Syed Naveed Mazaffar Zaidi, General Physician, Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Nurse of the Year, Ibin Sina Group
Ajeshmon Surendran Pillai, General Nurse, Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Nurse of the Year, SCH Group
Adona Castro Tuazon, Nurse, Doctors Medical Centre
Technician of the Year
Ajitha Leela Chandran, Lab in Charge, Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Lab of the Year
Merle Pesinable Epitacio, PHD Abu Dhabi
Supervisor/Manager of the Year
Rahmathunissa Sikander Shariff, Lab in Charge, Doctors Medical Centre
Administration Star of the Year
Agatha Sto. Domingo, Quality Assurance Officer, PHD Abu Dhabi
Driver of the Year
Sahar Gul, Driver, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
AAH Corporate HQ Award
Saif Sakran, Corporate Financial Controller, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Ibn Sina Group Employee of the Year Award
Anzar Shan, Front Office In Charge, Ibin Sina Medical Centre
PHD Group Employee of the Year Award
Khristine Pamplona, General Manager, PHD Abu Dhabi
SCH Group Employee of the Year Award
Azza Awad, Hospital Administrator, Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Quality Ambassador of the Year
Dr. Rana Nabulsi, Quality Improvement Manager, PHD Abu Dhabi
Long Service Award
Dr. Kamini Ganu Naik, Gynaecologist, SCH Group
Long Service Award
Dr. Jameela Kunhamed, Dental Surgeon, SCH Group
Long Service Award
Sukai Ramanande Bhar, Messenger, SCH Group
Long Service Award
Rahmathunissa Sikander Shariff, Laboratory Technician, SCH Group
Long Service Award
Sheik Mohamed Ali, General Manager, Ibin Sina Group
Long Service Award
Jancy Allapurathukad Thomas, Head Nurse, Ibin Sina Group
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HUMAN RESOURCES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Employee of the Month Awards across the Group
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he start of 2014 saw AAH roll out the much anticipated Employee of the Month Awards across the entire group. Here is a chance for fellow work colleagues to vote for those who they feel deserve recognition for their dedication and ongoing hard work, those that inspire and really do go the extra mile in living the AAH Values. Listed below, are our January and February winners!
January 2014 - Winners Employee Name
Job Title
Business Unit
Eugene Quiamco
Office Manager
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Jonalyn Daguman
HR Officer
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Abul Hussain
Trainee Pharmacist
Emirates Pharmacy
Katherine Lacaba
Medical Laboratory Technologist
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Jenylyn Hilario
Receptionist
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Lovely Caraig
Customer Service Representative
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Hajamydeen Abdul Kader
Driver
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Ragi Sudhiskumar
Laboratory Incharge
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
February 2014 - Winners Employee Name
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Job Title
Business Unit
Sahar Gul
Driver
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Ansar Shan
Front Office Incharge
Ibin Sina Medical Centre
Yasmine Mohamed
Customer Service Representative
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Daniel Apurillo
Medical Laboratory Technologist
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Maria Stella Senal
Receptionist
PHD, Abu Dhabi
John Robert Grade
Medical Laboratory Technologist
PHD, Abu Dhabi
Zenith Ban Tagaylo
Receptionist
Sharjah Corniche Hospital
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HUMAN RESOURCES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
We wish a warm welcome to the following team members who have joined Anglo Arabian Healthcare since the first of January 2014: Employee Name
Job Title
Department
Business Unit
Ameer Hamza
PRO
Human Resources
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Nita Abdul Salam
Insurance Manager
Operations
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Marc Traboulsy
Group Head of Procurement and Engineering
Project Management Office
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Manjula Venkatappa
Project Coordination Manager
Project Management Office
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Paul Firth
Director, Occupational Health & Corporate Wellness
ICAS/Occupational Health
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Mohsin Hassan
Senior Business Analyst
Business Development and Clinical Strategy
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Joumana Geara
Admin Support/Health Promoter Home Healthcare
Homecare Services
Anglo Arabian Healthcare
The Happy Video Update
/ AngloArabHealthcare
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roducing the Happy Video was a lot of hard work and took a huge amount of organizing throughout various healthcare facilities in our group. However, it has to be said that the team had an amazing experience during the making of the video once the word got out‌. What was meant to be a real topsecret project and a surprise on the night for the Reward and Recognition event, quickly became very well known somehow!
Happy - Anglo Arabian Healthcare 2014 Official video link: http://youtu.be/2FjHfGRNwzY
The Happy Video was received on the night to huge applause, whoops and claps as familiar faces danced across the screen, each of them with an enormous smile on their face. Once the video was publicized across our social media channels and on our websites, there was a flurry of activity as the video was shared between friends and families all across the world with much delight.
Via YouTube, the video has been watched 2,037 times and has been watched for a staggering 6,247 minutes! We have 28 likes, 12 shares and is now truly international with the top countries currently watching our Happy video globally are: UAE, UK, India, Philippines and the USA! PG.
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MARKETING Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Central Marketing Activity Update As soon as we entered the New Year, the marketing team was swept away with work to prepare for the annual ‘healthcare event of the year’ - Arab Health. This is the first year Anglo Arabian Healthcare has participated in Arab Health, and we did with a bang by launching two new healthcare brands into the market.
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roficiency Healthcare Diagnostics was nominated as a contender for the Roche Excellence in Laboratory Services Award throughout the Middle East and were the only group from the UAE to have been nominated. We launched our Amina Hospital brand with an emphasis on recruitment, the management team behind the hospital, and on our current Amina Hospital practice - Sharjah Corniche Hospital. We received plenty of positive feedback on our stand and hard working team, and we shall be back next year, bigger and even better! Once we successfully completed the Arab Health event, we went right to work on branding, signage and producing supporting collateral of all our healthcare facilities. We revised all the external signage, designed and produced uniforms for the reception and clinical staff, held a photo-shoot for all of the doctors, and prepared facility wide brochures to highlight all the departments and doctors of the clinics and hospitals. We emphasized the importance of continuing Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and have monthly training sessions for the front office and nursing staff to educate them about a different element of CRM.
Jannat Amarnani Marketing Manager, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Lejpathroy Sreenavas Marketing Manager, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
Our Doctors In the Community We’re so proud of our doctors who are happy to join us in community events - whether it is a medical camp, radio talk or a corporate visit. They are always willing to visit members of the community to help spread the message of positive health behaviors, and emphasize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. These past few months have been no exception - with our doctors being featured on Indian radio channels: HUM FM and Radio Asia, as well as Arabic TV stations. We’ve held camps for medical screenings in Ajman and Sharjah in schools, corporates, and most recently in supermarkets (camp in Al Manama supermarket which attracted over 250 people)!
Doctors Medical Centre - Medical Camp at Manama Supermarket, Sharjah
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Sharjah Corniche Hospital - Medical Camp at Mega Mall, Sharjah / AngloArabianHealthcare
MARKETING Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
Ibin Sina Medical Centre hold a Basic Life Support & First Aid Campaign across 8 corporates in Ajman
Dr Sana Mehak, Specialist Paediatrician, Ibin Sina Medical Centre speaks on radio talk show on HUM FM
Our Doctors Online To further reach out to people in the community, we went to the one place people spend most of their time - online. We are piloting an initiative with a company called ezeliving. com that features a doctor from our group every month on their online show ‘The Good Doctor’ to speak on a variety of interesting topics. Over the last three months we had fantastic interviews from doctors within our group: Dr. Mahesh speaking on sports injuries and prevention, Dr. Jihad Saadeh discussing the difference between food intolerance and food allergies and the benefits of testing for food intolerance, and lastly our visiting plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Alexander Krakovsky speaking on the global obesity epidemic and if liposuction is a solution for this. We’re excited to conduct more of these short interviews, as all three videos have gotten excellent feedback. You can watch these video’s on our YouTube Channels and Social Media pages – don’t forget to share!
Dr. Jihad Saadeh, Laboratories Operations Manager, Proficiency Healthcare Diagnostics, Northern Emirates
April - 2014
Ibin Sina Medical Centre conducts medical screenings and physician consultations at Ajman Police HQ, Masfout
Dr. Syed Abdul Ghaffar, Dentist, New Ibin Sina Medical Centre speaks on radio talk show on HUM FM
/ AngloArabHealthcare / SCHhospital / PHDiagnostics
Dr. Mahesh Vidhani CEO, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, Sharjah Corniche Hospital
Dr. Alexander Krakovsky Specialist Plastic Surgeon (Visiting) Sharjah Corniche Hospital
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MARKETING Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Replacement Name for Mandala During March 2014, we undertook the search to replace Mandala Clinics and Hospitals with an alternative identity.
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he whole company was given a selection of alternative names to consider and was asked a variety of questions about each choice. The purpose of this intensive study was to investigate the relevance of each potential replacement name and to uncover any subconscious links that may present from different cultures, languages and backgrounds. Over 130 staff members that included Doctors, administrators, technicians, drivers, managers and nurses from every group participated. With such a multi-cultural body of staff, spread across four Emirates it was crucial that we undertook the study as diligently as we could and the results were very interesting. Two alternative names were very popular and stood out firmly in the end results; Jumana and Concord, one meaning ‘Silver Pearl’ and the other ‘Harmony and Togetherness’. As Jumana was very close in type and sound to Amina, it was decided that The Concord Medical Centres and Concord Hospitals would best represent our facilities, helping also to support the differentiation of both primary and secondary healthcare brands in our brand strategy. The legal process has now begun to secure the trademark of the names and the co-branding of our clinics will slowly begin over the next 18 months.
Thank You, each and every one, for your time and your ultimate guidance. The Concord Medical Centres and The Concord Hospitals is an identity that you helped to create and I am sure that we shall all feel proud to be a part of this important and historic project. Julie Adams Marketing Director, Anglo Arabian Healthcare julie.adams@angloarabian-healthcare.com
Many hearty congratulations to Declan Devery of the 360 Team and his wife Aisling on the birth of their gorgeous new baby daughter, Sophia Louise! Sophia, weighing a healthy 6lb 5oz, decided to come into the world a little early and very quickly! Declan has been working tirelessly on the Ajman Hospital project and thoroughly deserves some well earned rest with his brand new family. Congratulations once again from us all.
Here are the links to our websites and Social Media Channels! www.angloarabian-healthcare.com www.amina-hospitals.com www.ph-diagnostics.com The website for Concord Medical Centres and Hospitals is also coming soon!
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AngloArabianHealthcare Company/Anglo-Arabian-Healthcare AngloArabHealth AngloArabHealthcare
OPERATIONS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Operational Update The first quarter has been a very busy period for everyone and a great start to the new year, thanks to the combined efforts of the AAH family.
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cross the group we have been working together on a number of initiatives to improve how we work together as a team and to help make 2014 another successful year. These are just some examples of some of the key projects currently underway;
Ibin Sina Group • The main IBS clinic treats in excess of 700+ patients at it’s busiest and Mohd Ali (GM) and his team have been devising plans to support this growth by expanding and rearranging the clinic to improve waiting areas and make it more convenient for our patients. • The five IBS pharmacies have had a great start to 2014 and our thanks to the team for continuing the grow this important part of our group. • Major repainting of the main IBS clinic is underway and improvements to other clinics will follow in Q2 to help make the clinics more comfortable places for staff and patients alike. • Programs of customer service training are underway to help all our staff deal more effectively with patients.
Sharjah Corniche Group • We have now undergone an expansion at Doctors Medical Centre adding 3 more consulting rooms and a new central reception that can help improve the service level and also improve on operational efficiency. We expect to have the new departments filled in Q2 and offer a wider choice of services to offer to the community. • Opening this month we will open our Sharjah Corniche Hospital ground floor clinic. Adding 4 new consulting rooms to the hospital with a massive new signage around the building providing a completely fresh outlook to the hospital. • Relocation of the SCH administration staff to new external premises to give this hard working team a more comfortable working environment.
AAH Group • A new Hospital Information System has been chosen to provide a common platform and will roll out across the group from July 2014. As one of the most important projects for 2014 it will impact us all and over the next months you will have an opportunity to work with the implementation team to ensure we deliver the best solution for the group. • The Rewards and Recognition event held in April was a tremendous success. It was great to see all AAH family coming together as one and an opportunity to come together to celebrate. • Over the next months you will see continued improvements in clinical quality as we work with all our staff to implement the recommendations from our Clinical Quality and Patient Safety review. This is a start of a continual journey to ensure our facilities are recognized as providing the highest standards of quality for our patients. • Recruitment of new doctors has been a real challenge this quarter. An incentive plan to all staff was rolled out earlier this year to encourage all of us to consider our network of friends and acquaintances who may be seeking a new position. Group HR will periodically be sending out regular updates of current vacancies and we look for you continued support in filling this critical roles. • AAH HomeCare has been launched, working with our clinics to offer community based healthcare to a growing demand of patients who need support to live independently at home; those recovering from a hospital stay, who are disabled, chronically or terminally-ill, those needing medical, nursing or therapeutic treatment and/or assistance with the essential activities of daily living. In conclusion the AAH operational team would like to thank you all for you support and hard work to get 2014 off to such a positive start. We look forward to working together as we continue to grow and strengthen the business through the rest of the year.
PHD Group • We will be shortly opening two new labs in Al Ain and in Al Barsha, Dubai. The fitouts will be completed during the month of May/June and we expect further expansion during the year • Congratulations to Dr. Mohammad Bahani and his PHD team on successfully retaining their CAP accreditation. Dr Rana and her quality team ensuring that PHD continues to demonstrate the highest standards of quality in the market. Kieran Watts
Chief Operating Officer, Anglo Arabian Healthcare
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ARTICLES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine (EBLM) Versus Insurance Policies One of the first definitions of Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine (EBLM) is the ‘integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient value’. Another definition is ‘conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients’.
The third problem is between payers (insurance companies) and providers (laboratories). For the payers, they believe that they are paying a very expensive cost for laboratory testing services whilst providers are surely expected to generate more income. However, there is minimal evidence to support these observations. Integrating the principles of EBLM into routine practice will help to resolve some of these concerns by identifying the following: 1. Where the laboratory medicine fits into the care pathway 2. Where testing is appropriate 3. The nature and quality of evidence required to demonstrate the clinical ability of the test 4. How the test result impacts on clinical actions
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5. Where will the changes in the case pathway will occur he question is, have the principles of EBLM been adapted successfully in the practice of laboratory medicine?
The adaption of the principle of EBLM in medical laboratory practice has been slow. Review of literature of any potential biomarker ‘test’ will invariably expose a rich vein of basic scientific research that establishes between the biomarker and the pathology of the disease. However, this information eludes to the potential of the biomarker as a diagnostic tests; it does not provide any evidence as to how the test might be used in the case of individual patients.
6. Where benefit on the value can be achieved The above points will help to establish the culture of EBLM in clinical laboratory medicine.
There are some challenges EBLM encounters. The first major problem EBLM faces is the contradiction between treating physicians and the insurance companies policies. For insurance companies, there is a big number of tests performed by physicians that they are declaring not justified. On the other hand, physicians are claiming that they are not empowered to ask sufficient testing to support EBLM. The second problem is that insurance companies pretend that test results have little impact on patient diagnosis while physicians claimed that the test results are crucial to clinical diagnosis and patient management.
Dr. Mohammed Bahani Managing Director, Proficiency Healthcare Diagnostics
Don’t Forget! International Nurses Day, May 12th 2014! PG.
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ARTICLES Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
The Sunset Years Personal reflections by Dr. P. C. Jacob
So the pertinent question is sunrise or sunset; which is more beautiful?
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ll day long yesterday I was pondering on this question; though often seemed silly. I have watched sunrise and sunset on innumerable times, often casually sometimes consciously but never ever this question reverberated in my mind so much. Why then? Why is it baffles my mind now? It’s all started while we were returning from my home country a few weeks back. Seated near the window, I watched the rising sun appearing as a fire ball far away radiating brilliant colors scattering the morning clouds as we were cruising at 35,000 feet above the sea level while the lives on the ground below were comfortably sleeping for the early sunrays to wake them up. It started changing; its color, its brightness, its vigor, its size everything is changing. Still, I tried to watch the rising sun wistfully but it was so strong that I was flash blinded and had to pull down the blinds.
Yes, exactly I was waiting for that answer, it is the sunset! It is more beautiful by all means, I was seconded. The setting sun emitting tantalizing tones of hues though with fading exuberance leaves behind a sense of calmness, peace and serenity in the minds of the watching world and kindles a strong feeling of hope and an urge to meet again. So it’s all over, I found the answer. The sunset is more beautiful and by the theory of extrapolation and analogy, my sunset years are going to be more vibrant and vivid. As the setting sun, I should radiate the rays of peace and calmness, solace and serenity in the minds of the watching crowd and inspire the feeling of inner relaxation, healing and hope as I slowly start diminishing over the distant horizon.
I closed my eyes trying to catch a few winks as the last one hour left before we touched the ground, but the serene scene of the setting sun that we have watched the previous day from the sandy shore of my home town, the capital of God’s own country, vividly re winded on my mind’s mischievous canvas. Along with hundreds of others, young and old, I bid bye bye to the evening sun as it slowly vanished among the brilliantly painted, patchy clouds over the horizon in the distance. So, again the question is, appearance or disappearance; which is more spectacular? Suddenly I asked my wife sitting nearby, partially dozing off as usual. ‘Of course, the sunset’! she retorted.
Dr. P. C. Jacob Medical & CME Director, Specialist Paediatrician, Ibin Sina Medical Centre
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HEALTH MATTERS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Nutrition Lies That Have Helped to Make The World Sick And Fat Nutritional information is full of all kinds of nonsense and scare mongering these days it seems. With obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers on the rise globally there has never been such a focus on how and what we eat.
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ating a regular balanced diet, plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, avoiding excess salt and sugar intake together with controlling your portion sizes can ensure that you nourish your body with goodness. Exercising, stretching and meditation can help us cope with the pressures and worries in our busy, modern lives – so, it’s that simple, right? Sadly, not everyone is aware of these simple rules for wellness, health and mental balance. With so much information available, how come there are misconceptions and confusion about certain kinds of foods? Take a moment to look at these five nutrition lies that have helped to make the world both sick and fat.
1. Eggs Are Bad For Your Health Eggs are so incredibly nutritious that they’re often called ‘nature’s multivitamin’.
2. Saturated Fat is Unhealthy
Fact: The nutrients in them are enough to turn a single cell into an entire baby chicken!
For many decades, people have believed that eating saturated fat can increase the risk of heart disease.
However, eggs have been demonized in the past because they contain a large amount of cholesterol, which was believed to increase the risk of heart disease.
In fact, this idea has been the cornerstone of mainstream nutrition recommendations.
But the truth is that despite being high in cholesterol, eggs don’t really raise the bad cholesterol in the blood. In fact, eggs primarily raise the ‘good’ cholesterol. Despite all the warnings about eggs in the past few decades, studies show that they are NOT associated with heart disease. If anything, eggs are pretty much a perfect food for humans. They’re loaded with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and unique antioxidants that protect the eyes. They are also an excellent source of Choline, a nutrient that is very important for the health of the brain and about 90% of people aren’t getting enough of. Despite being a “high fat” food, eating eggs for breakfast is proven to cause significant weight loss compared to a breakfast of bagels, bread and rice. Bottom Line: Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet and do not raise your risk of heart disease. Eggs for breakfast can help you lose weight.
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However, studies published in the past few decades prove that saturated fat is completely harmless. A massive study published in 2010 looked at data from a total of 21 studies that included 347,747 individuals. They found absolutely no association between saturated fat consumption and the risk of heart disease Multiple other studies confirm these findings… saturated fat really has nothing to do with heart disease. The ‘war’ on fat was based on an unproven theory that somehow became common knowledge The truth is that saturated fat raises HDL (the ‘good’) cholesterol. It also changes the LDL cholesterol from small, dense LDL (very, very bad) to Large LDL, which is benign There is literally no reason to fear butter, meat or coconut oil… these foods are perfectly healthy! Bottom Line: New studies show that saturated fat does not increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. It raises the good cholesterol and changes the ‘bad’ cholesterol to a benign subtype.
HEALTH MATTERS Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
3. Everyone Should be Eating ‘Heart-Healthy’ Whole Wheat Commonly mistaken as a health food, evidence is mounting that wheat can contribute to various health problems.
April - 2014
5. Meat is Bad For You Blaming new health problems on old foods has never made sense to me.
Yes… this includes ‘heart-healthy’ whole wheat.
One example of that is meat… which humans have been eating throughout evolution, for millions of years.
Wheat is the biggest source of gluten in the diet. New studies are showing that a significant percentage of the population may be sensitive to it.
For some very strange reason, many people are now blaming meat for diseases like heart disease and type II diabetes, which are relatively new.
In sensitive individuals, gluten can contribute to various symptoms like digestive issues, pain, bloating, stool inconsistency, fatigue and may damage the lining of the intestine.
This doesn’t make much sense at all and the studies don’t support it.
There are also some controlled trials associating wheat gluten with various disorders of the brain, including schizophrenia, autism and cerebellar ataxia. Not only that… but a controlled trial in humans showed that whole wheat increased various risk factors for cardiovascular disease in as little as 12 weeks. Even though whole wheat is ‘less unhealthy’ than refined wheat, the best choice would be to skip the wheat altogether. Bottom Line: Wheat is the biggest source of gluten in the diet. Many studies are showing that wheat, including whole wheat, can contribute to various health problems.
4. Refined Seed- and Vegetable Oils Are Healthy Some studies show that polyunsaturated fats lower your risk of heart disease. For this reason, many have recommended that we increase our consumption of vegetable oils like soybean oil, sunflower oil and corn oil. However, it is important to realize that there are different types of polyunsaturated fats, mainly Omega-3s and Omega-6s. While we get Omega-3s from fish and grass-fed animals, the main sources of Omega-6 fatty acids are processed seed- and vegetable oils. The thing is… we need to get Omega-3s and Omega-6s in a certain balance. Most people are eating too little Omega-3 and way too much Omega-6.
While it is true that processed meat is associated with all sorts of diseases, the same is not true for unprocessed red meat. A massive review from 2010 that looked at data from 20 studies with a total of 1,218,380 individuals revealed that unprocessed red meat had no significant association with either cardiovascular disease or type II diabetes. Other studies that included hundreds of thousands of people agree with this… processed meat is bad, but unprocessed red meat is harmless. Even though some observational studies have found a link between meat consumption and cancer, review studies that look at the data as a whole show that the effect is weak and inconsistent. If there really is an association between red meat and cancer (which has NOT been proven) then it is most likely caused by excessive cooking, not the meat itself. For this reason, it may be important to avoid burning your meat. Also, let’s not forget that meat is incredibly nutritious. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, quality proteins, healthy fats and various lesser known nutrients that are important for the body and brain. Bottom Line: Studies show that unprocessed red meat does not raise your risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. There is a very weak association with cancer, but most likely caused by excessive cooking and not the meat itself. Extract from an article by KRIS GUNNARS of AUTHORITY NUTRITION.COM
Studies show that excess Omega-6 fatty acids can increase inflammation in the body, which is known to play a causal role in many serious diseases. Most importantly, seed- and vegetable oils are associated with a significantly increased risk of heart disease… the biggest killer in the world. If you want to lower your risk of disease, eat your Omega-3s but avoid the refined seed- and vegetable oils. It’s important to keep in mind that this does NOT apply to other plant oils like coconut oil and olive oil, which are low in Omega-6 and extremely healthy. Bottom Line: Excess consumption of refined seedand vegetable oils can increase inflammation in the body and dramatically raise your risk of cardiovascular disease. / AngloArabianHealthcare PG.
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COOKERY CLUB Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
International Cookery Club For this edition, we are travelling from Morocco (where the last delectable recipe originated) all the way to Cochin in Kerala AND… to Sweden! Cissi Thompson, who heads up the Home Care Services at AAH, has kindly provided the following fish recipe that is very popular in Sweden, very easy to prepare and apart from being healthy is very tasty too! To compliment it, Cissi usually prepares potatoes and fresh asparagus that can be steamed or boiled. Enjoy!
Swedish Salmon with Asparagus Ingredients Fresh Salmon (200g per person) Olive oil Lemon Sea salt Black pepper Herbs (fresh dill)
Directions: Place the Salmon on aluminum foil and sprinkle olive oil on top, together with salt, pepper, dill and lemon juice. Cover the fish in the aluminum foil to make a package. Carefully place in oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with cooked potatoes and fresh asparagus that is just in season now.
Asparagus is high in vitamin A, folic acid and dietary fibre, which are all thought to play a vital role in fighting cancer. Asparagus also contains high levels of potassium, which may help control blood pressure, and is rich in rutin and iron which boost the body’s immune system. It’s also cholesterol free! With each spear containing just four calories, you can munch away to your heart’s content. It’s also very low in fat: 80g of cooked asparagus contains 0.6g of fat. Seven spears count as one portion towards your five-a-day.
Did you know…? Asparagus has been revered since the ancient times by Greeks and Romans as a prized delicacy. One of the oldest recorded vegetables, it is thought to have originated along the coastal regions of eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor areas.
FANTASTIC FISH!
Smaklig måltid (bon appetite!)
Did you Know?
Fish can work wonders for your health in many ways.
The UAE’s Hamour fish is now under threat!
• Fish is good for a healthy heart • Fish boosts your body’s energy production • Fish makes your brain and nervous system healthy • Fish is good for your skin and hair
Numbers of the Hamour group of fish have declined by 87-92% between 1978 and 2003, being currently fished at 7 times the sustainable level.
66% of UAE residents eat fish at least once a week and almost 50% of us choose the Hamour when eating fish in a restaurant.
Globally, unless we start to manage our fish stocks more sustainably, studies predict a collapse of all species fished for food by 2048. www.estidama.org
Save the UAE’s Hamour - Choose wisely! PG.
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COOKERY CLUB Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Our next dish has been provided by our Graphic Designer, Shiju Kattarkandy and is a firm favorite of his and his family. Kerala fish curry is a very hot curry made of fish pieces cooked in a mixture of spices, very popular among the people of the state of Kerala in India. This is usually cooked in a earthen pot. Alternatively it can also be cooked in a deep pan.
Kerala Fish Curry Ingredients Fish-medium size pieces- 500 gms Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp Curry leaves- 2 sprigs Shallots-sliced- 4 to 5 nos Ginger-crushed- 1.5 tsp Garlic-crushed- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder- 1.5 to 2 tbsp ( see notes) Coriander powder- 1/2 to 1 tbsp ( see notes) Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder- 1 pinch Fish Tamarind (Kudampuli)-soaked in water- 2 to 3 small pieces Water- 1 cup (more if required ,see notes) Salt- to taste Oil- as required
Preparation Method: Heat oil in manchatti (clay pot) and add mustard seeds; let it splutter. Add fenugreek seeds and sauté for few seconds. Add curry leaves, shallots, ginger and garlic. Sauté until shallots turn golden brown. Reduce the flame to low and add kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and fenugreek powder. Mix well. Sauté for about 5 minutes ,stirring continuously until the colour changes to a deep maroon. (Be careful and make sure you do not burn the masala, or else the curry will taste bitter)! Add water and fish tamarind (kudampuli) and bring it to a gentle boil. Then, add the fish pieces and salt to taste. Cover and cook over a medium heat, until your fish is cooked and the gravy is thick. Remove from the heat and keep covered for at least one hour for the flavors to blend in. Serve with rice or kappa (tapioca) vevichathu.
NOTES • If you feel that the curry is a bit too tangy, remove the kokum pieces. • Adjust the spice level according to your taste. Kashmiri chili powder gives a nice red colour to the curry without being too spicy. I used about 2 tbsp of kashmiri chili powder. If you are using regular chili powder, use according to your spice tolerance level. • If you want to keep the curry for more than one day, avoid using coriander powder. Adjust the quantity of water according to amount and consistency of the gravy that you prefer. I used about 1 and 1/4 cups of water.
Enjoy!
PG.
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FUN TIME Volume 1 | Issue 3 |
April - 2014
Riddlers Corner! Just a little bit of fun before the end of our Third Health Works Newsletter!
I
Winners of December 2013!
f you think you know the answer to our riddles, just send it to the Editor and if your name is pulled out of the hat, you win a gift voucher! Easy! The winner will be announced in the next issue of Health Works. Good Luck!
For the December Newsletter, we set a brain crunching challenge in our Riddler’s Corner! However, with the Insurance Team at Ibin Sina Medical Centre answering both riddles correctly, I can see that for this edition, we shall have to make the Riddles even harder!!
Q1: It lives without a body, hears without ears, speaks without a mouth, and is born in air. What is it?
Congratulations to:
Q2: I am the beginning of sorrow, and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, yet I am in the midst of crosses. I am always in risk, yet never in danger. You may find me in the sun, but I am never seen out of darkness. Q3: What has four fingers and one thumb, but is not alive?
• Cherryrose Abundo, Insurance Clerk at the Ibin Sina Medical Centre • Ramya Thilakan • Anupama Prakash, Physiotherapist at ibin Sina Medical Centre • Mohamed Azharudeen, Insurance Clerk at the Ibin Sina Medical Centre A little treat is on it’s way to the team Well done.
Q4: How many letters are in the alphabet?
Editor’s Note
I
t is April 2014 and with the morning now lighter, the weather in the UAE starting to heat up, it is safe to say that Spring is definitely here!
In the UK, springtime is symbolic for ‘New Life’; the first bulbs that were planted in the garden now begin to reach towards the warmth and light of the sun, days become lighter and the birds return as the cold diminishes and a new season begins. It cannot be said that the past few months have been easy. It is natural to resist change and new ways of working and thinking but the determination of the entire Anglo Arabian Healthcare team has won the day and it is true that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. The Anglo Arabian Healthcare teams have come such a long way and have achieved so much in only a few months and this was very evident in the multi-media picture book that was played at the Reward and Recognition event in April. However, what struck me was that it wasn’t the tangible achievements that shone through so brightly, but the sense that we had really become one team; one family. Together, in the spirit of one family, we should go on and achieve new triumphs feeling proud to be a member of our organization, which has overcome many obstacles and yet, now faces the new bright season with optimism, courage and determination.
Julie Adams
AAH Marketing Director,
Health Works continues to also grow and it is fantastic that so many people across the group have contributed. There is now a eco-friendly, greener way to enjoy your Health Works newsletter! An online digital version of this newsletter is available which you can download directly onto your computer to enjoy, saving a few trees! Please continue to send me your articles and news so that we can share together and enjoy. Until next time, Julie Adams Marketing Director and Editor of Health Works Email: julie.adams@angloarabian-healthcare.com Link to the digital version: http://issuu.com/angloarabianhealthcare
Anglo Arabian Healthcare, P.O. Box 78474, Office 101, First Floor, Ibn Rushd Building No. 33, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 4 452 8 452, Fax: +971 4 452 8 536, Email: admin@angloarabian-healthcare.com, www.angloarabian-healthcare.com
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