What is in store for healthcare in the year ahead?’ is an inevitable question industry professionals ask each passing year because striking a balance between staying abreast of trends while staying relevant to one’s audience can be daunting. The year 2023 alone saw progress in various segments — from AI-assisted drug delivery and clinical automation to the implementation of augmented and virtual reality for training purposes. Circling back to artificial intelligence, this has seen substantial growth with various sectors adopting the technology into their business models to fuel efficiency and cost-savings and ease the burden on healthcare professionals.
The uptake of these models brings along a new set of concerns in AI ethics, and this year, we are expected to see regulators increase scrutiny over data access and privacy alongside investors pushing for sustainable operations. However, despite this novel buzz, the market value and growth of digital health solutions are expected to remain unaffected.
A recent Morgan Stanley Research survey, part of the What’s NEXT – How AI/ML Could Reshape Healthcare report, said that 94 per cent of healthcare companies employ artificial intelligence or machine learning to some extent and that the industry’s average estimated budget dedicated to these technologies is projected to grow to 10.5 per cent in 2024, compared to 5.7 per cent in 2022. Furthermore, health diagnostics, clinical trials, and drug discovery are some of the areas in which AI has flourished.
Related: Technology shift that is transforming healthcare practice
Climate change is another area of focus that is gaining prominence, further led by the recent COP28 in the UAE that sparked conversations around the environmental impact of healthcare systems. A study by EuroNews dubbed the global healthcare industry as the fifth-largest greenhouse gas emitter if it were a country, while the World Economic Forum recently highlighted that the industry is responsible for 4.4 per cent of global emissions. These alarming facts are making organisations reevaluate existing practices and seek practical solutions.
But where does one begin? There are plenty of promising online platforms that claim to have the latest information and statistics to help develop a future-ready healthcare business. While these digital means offer knowledge and convenience, the experience of meeting experts in person, attending special seminars, and viewing real-life case studies hold greater value for professionals in the healthcare industry.
Catering to this demand, Arab Health 2024 returns this year with a new power-packed edition to serve as an international meeting point for healthcare leaders, innovators and visionaries alike. Arab Health, which takes place between January 29 and February 1 with the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention as an exclusive healthcare leadership partner, brings industry professionals together on a common platform to exchange knowledge, inspire with tried-and-tested solutions, and drive positive change that would ultimately create a strong, sustainable environment in the healthcare industry.
This year, Arab Health brings forth eight CME conference tracks at the Dubai World Trade Centre, namely Total Radiology, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Obs&Gyn, Public Health, Quality Management, Orthopaedics and Diabetes. An additional two tracks — CSSD and Infection Control — are being hosted at the Fairmont Dubai.
Each conference is curated to help healthcare professionals explore valuable learning opportunities in an interactive space. Here it also seeks to nurture collaborations within the healthcare sector and offer solutions for sustainable delivery of care. From enabling best practices in radiology to advance patient care via innovation and collaboration in the presence of international societies, namely Japan Radiology Society (JRS), Radiological Society of Saudi Arabia (RSSA), Pan Arab Association of Radiological Societies (PAARS) and the European Society of Cardiac Radiology (ESCR), to securing healthcare quality through digitalisation led by a scientific committee composed of renowned industry leaders, this year’s show is an unmissable event for all those seeking to be at the forefront of their career.
Related: Moving radiology into the age of artificial intelligence
With a long-running legacy as one of the top progressive events of its kind in Dubai, Arab Health continues to build on its successful track record by diversifying its show portfolio with immersive segments. Returning for the second edition, the Future Health Summit is an exclusive part of the event that welcomes movers and shakers of the healthcare sector, notably senior government officials and CEOs, to gather around and unlock revolutionary concepts for generations to come. The theme, “Reverse ageing and longevity”, will look at business, finance and ethics of extending lives with science and technology.
Special zones have also been established this year to pave the way forward. At the Smart Hospital and Interoperability Zone, attendees can view seamless interoperability in action in the Healthcare Transformation sector. The zone is an interactive area featuring an operating room, intensive care unit and emergency room complete with live demonstrations that showcase a variety of use cases to inspire visitors.
Arab Health is synonymous with progressive change, and this year, the show sees the return of a segment as well as the introduction of a new one — each aimed to aid the entrepreneurship community advance in their focus areas. The Innov8 competition is an exciting platform where participants will pitch their projects against each other in an attempt to take home the grand title, funds to continue to fuel their vision and receive mentoring opportunities. Taking it a step further, the event will host the first-ever edition of Cre8 aimed at fostering entrepreneurship among UAE-based youth. Students are given an imaginary budget and encouraged to present strategies for real-world problems in healthcare and how they would implement solutions.
In addition, the show will feature thousands of regional and international exhibitors complete with state-of-the-art devices and solutions to enhance healthcare as we know it.
Highlights at Arab Health 2024
- Ten CME conferences led by renowned industry experts
- Future Health Summit themed “Reverse ageing and longevity”
- Discover groundbreaking solutions at the Transformation Zone
- Smart Hospital and Interoperability Zone featuring live use cases
- Cre8, a new start-up series for youth in UAE-based universities
- Innov8 competition
Register HERE to attend Arab Health 2024.
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