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Doha summit highlights need of innovation to meet health challenges

Elly Burhaini Faizal (The Jakarta Post)
Doha, Qatar
Wed, November 30, 2016

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Doha summit highlights need of innovation to meet health challenges Closer collaboration -- World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) executive chair Lord Darzi (center) speaks at a press conference ahead of the 2016 WISH in Doha from Tuesday to Wednesday. WISH CEO Egbert Schillings (left), Buthaina Al Nuaimi (second left), the president of Pre-University Education at Qatar Foundation, Primary Health Care Corporation managing director Mariam Ali Abdulmalik (second right), and WISH Accountable Care Forum chair Mark McClellan (right) were also present. (JP/Elly Burhaini Faizal)

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hysicians, health experts, academics and researchers as well as policymakers gathered on Tuesday in Doha to discuss global healthcare challenges.

The two-day World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), held annually by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), focuses on major illnesses and factors of death and diseases around the world.

“This year, we have cardiovascular disease, because it is the number one killer in the world. About one-third of deaths worldwide occur as the result of either stroke or heart attack, and this is especially prevalent in rapidly developing countries,” WISH CEO Egbert Schillings said.

Cardiovascular disease is one of 11 topics, including investing in health, genomics in the Gulf region and Islamic ethics, precision medicine and accountable care, discussed at this year’s summit.

Health expert Mark McClellan said accountable care aimed to improve health outcomes and avoid resource waste.

“It’s about coordination of care and engagement of patients, using the best and latest innovations to get the best health outcomes at the lowest costs,” said the chairman of the Accountable Care Forum on the sidelines of WISH 2016, which runs from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Citing his experience as a former administrator of the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), McClellan added that the way people paid for healthcare services often was not aligned with the greatest opportunity for improving health.

“We [the US] have many hospital care service payments for people with complications, such as diabetes, but we don’t have very good support or organized care in place to identify patients early and to intervene in ways that can cut off complications,” said McClellan.

Investing in health -- Qatar Foundation chairwoman Sheikha Moza bint Nasser delivers her speech at the opening of 2016 WISH in Doha on Tuesday. It was through her vision that the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) was created in 2013.(JP/Elly Burhaini Faizal)

In Qatar, the development of the healthcare system, in particular its accountable care, has been piloted through “Al Wakra Smart Clinic”, which is supported by the WISH Accountable Care Project.

“The clinic gives a lot of opportunity for […] stronger patient-doctor engagement,” said Primary Health Care Corporation managing director Mariam Ali Abdulmalik.

She further said the project had helped Al Wakra build a closely integrated primary and secondary healthcare service and give people adequate preventive measures once they are diagnosed as pre-diabetic, for instance.

Launched in 2013, WISH aims to create a community where the world’s leading innovators, researchers and policymakers can share ideas and best practices.

“Around the world our health systems face enormous challenges. Never has the need for innovation been greater nor opportunity to work together larger,” WISH executive chair Lord Darzi of Denham said.

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