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Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), one of the UAE’s largest hospitals for serious and complex care and a joint-venture partnership between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and Mayo Clinic, hosted its “3rd Annual Complex Care at SSMC in Partnership with Mayo Clinic: A Case-Based Approach” conference on Nov. 11, 2023. The conference provided an overview of the cutting-edge treatments applied to recent complex and serious medical cases at SSMC. With nearly 1,500 local and global attendees, the conference aimed to impart knowledge and in-depth insights on best practices in complex care in addition to shedding light on the hospital’s unique Model of Care that adopts an integrated, patient-centered and team-based approach to meet patient needs of all ages.
Taking place both in an in-person setting and through livestream presentations, the conference included a range of sessions dedicated to neonatal and pediatric medicine, internal medicine, maternal and women’s health, as well as surgical care. The cases presented by SSMC experts demonstrated how the multidisciplinary approach at SSMC, combined with innovative practices and technological advances, optimizes care for patients. Participants also had the opportunity to form valuable connections, engage in stimulating discussions, and hear from multidisciplinary faculty experts specialized in a wide range of medical subspecialities.
Dr. Matthew Gettman, chief medical officer at SSMC, commented on the conference: "In its third edition, our annual complex care conference continues to highlight the work that we are doing to build a destination medical center in the UAE. We are working continuously to optimize the care we provide and also build out broader opportunities in education and research. This approach ultimately advances complex case outcomes for patients in the UAE and the wider region.”
Dr. Gettman added: “By exchanging best practices with members of the medical community, we stay true to our collaborative mindset that believes in sharing learning and expertise to achieve service excellence and serve the needs of patients with the most complex and serious of cases.”
Through a mix of keynote presentations, in-depth case discussions and rapid-fire sessions, experts engaged in stimulating discussions covering recent notable achievements at SSMC. Topics included the case of the thoracoscopic excision of pleuropulmonary blastoma in a five-month-old baby, a minimally invasive surgery to remove a type of lung cancer in children that forms in the tissues of the lung and the organs between the lungs (pleura). Other cases focused on abdominal aortic aneurysms and how the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at SSMC has significantly evolved over the past year. Dr. Asma Deeb, consultant pediatrician and chair of the Pediatric Endocrinology Division at SSMC, spoke about disorders of gender differentiation. In another session, Dr. Colin Maciver, maxillofacial, head and neck surgery consultant, and Dr. Mohammad Qureshi, clinical imaging consultant, focused their presentation on the ‘Mixed reality, 3D planning and surgical navigation in the treatment of head and neck cancer’.
Dr. Talha Aziz Malik, consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist and director of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases at SSMC, said: “Our primary value at SSMC is to place patients’ needs first through a commitment to exceptional standards of medical practice and innovative techniques. This year’s conference demonstrated our multidisciplinary team’s success over the past year and provided comprehensive insights into how complex cases were successfully managed through our integrated model of care approach.”
“With our dedication to service excellence, we are adamant on progressing with our journey of becoming a destination medical center in the UAE and wider region, addressing gaps in care in every avenue we can.”
About Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC)
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, and Mayo Clinic, a non-profit global leader in medical care, education and research headquartered in the United States of America. Established in 2019, SSMC is the largest tertiary hospital in the UAE and serves to elevate the provision of health care services in the nation under the mandate of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
Supported by the latest diagnostic and treatment modalities available, SSMC offers care in 46 specialties. A team of locally and internationally trained physicians and allied health staff work seamlessly together, which promotes comprehensive interdisciplinary learning, allowing SSMC to become a leading hub for integrated patient-centric medical services in the region.
As the region’s leading tertiary facility, SSMC has 742 patient beds, 18 operating theatres and includes a hybrid operating room, 26 neonatal intensive care units and the UAE’s largest pathology lab.
For more information on Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City or to book an appointment, visit ssmc.ae.
About SEHA
The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public health care system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
SEHA is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy.
SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with world-class health care. SEHA operates 13 hospitals with 3,385 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 2 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients. SEHA is one of the largest integrated health care providers in the Middle East with more than 18,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news and Mayo Clinic Facts for more information about Mayo.
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| Salma Chalak | Fadya Al Kathairi | Wael Al Kubbani |
