31 January 2017
● Mamlouk: "Sapphire helps boost overall patient care in health institutions, enhancing patient safety, decreasing medical error"

● Sapphire is a health technology software that caters to hospitals, clinics, emergency units, pharmacies

Kuwait - The Advanced Technology Company (ATC), a leading healthcare solutions provider based in Kuwait, today announced that it is showcasing its state-of-the-art hospital management system, Sapphire HMS, in the upcoming Arab Health Exhibition held in Dubai between January 30 and February 2nd. Sapphire is a complete and integrated solution that enables hospitals and healthcare institutions to provide an unparalleled medical experience to patients.

The result of years building a flexible third-generation health IT solution that is in-tune with the region’s needs, Sapphire HMS is a health technology software that caters to hospitals, clinics, emergency units, pharmacies, as well as allows for patient/practitioner interaction through a dedicated platform. The software was the response to existing rigid systems that do not integrate well with regional cultures nor with ancillary systems.

ATC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ghassan Mamlouk, said: “We have created Sapphire in an aim to help ease the tremendous work done by doctors, nurses and hospital administrators. The software helps boost overall patient care in health institutions, enhancing patient safety, decreasing medical error, and promoting sustainable development.”

Sapphire HMS can be deployed and customized by any hospital or healthcare institution, regardless of size and scope, while providing patients with an array of services consistent with state-of-the-art medical organizations. Sapphire comes with a fully customizable HL7 engine allowing for seamless integration with all hospital systems such as third-party EMR, LIS, RIS/PACS, or CDSS.

Mamlouk added: “The software essentially helps institutions better manage patient information by consolidating them under one profile that is accessible from any corner of the hospital. Moreover, the software provides real-time performance reports, showing areas where resources could be better managed, ultimately enhancing the level of service provided by institutions. The software was first deployed in the challenging environment of public hospitals in Kuwait, showing an immediate increase in efficiency and better management of patient information.”

With a user-friendly interface that is adaptable to any environment, Sapphire HMS provides doctors and nurses in hospitals and emergency wards with an e-whiteboard that enables control of ward flows, bed management, access to patient details and clinical information, as well as managing the assignment of the doctor-in-charge for each patient. The software also integrates clinician requirements to manage appointments and interact with patients, as well as in pharmacies where prescriptions become electronic copies and patients are reminded of medication schedules. 

ATC partnered with the trusted enterprise Rapid Application Development (RAD) platform, OutSystems, to develop Sapphire HMS.

Integration of Sapphire in public hospitals:

Sapphire was first implemented in the Maternity Hospital in Kuwait, a public hospital facing a challenge of efficiency in a congested and busy environment known to the Kuwaiti public health industry. The Hospital has 150 doctors and 961 nurses, and accommodates 458 beds over 20 wards.

Within a few weeks of implementation, the Maternity Hospital increased daily outpatients by over 166%, from 150 outpatients per day to 400. Sapphire also managed to boost efficiency dramatically, cutting the average outpatient admission time by 30 minutes, from 45 minutes to 15. Duplicated files in medical archives dropped by 60%. The implementation of the user-friendly solution also aided in the training of new employees, reducing overall training time to 10-30 minutes.

Mamlouk concluded: “Healthcare professionals can experience first-hand the Sapphire Hospital Management System at our booth at the Arab Health Exhibition. Training on the system requires a mere 10 minutes and registering a new patient will only require 20 seconds.

“With smartphones and web-enabled devices changing the way we communicate, share information, and even practice medicine, implementing the right hospital management system can lead to a seamless flow of information within a digital healthcare infrastructure. With Sapphire, information is available whenever and wherever it is needed.”

-Ends-

About the Advanced Technology Company (ATC): 
Established in 1980 and publicly listed in 2007, the Advanced Technology Company (ATC) is a leading healthcare solutions provider in the Kuwait and the Middle East, providing 95% of hospital’s requirements. The Company holds today a 45% market share in the Kuwait medical equipment sector.  ATC serves over 1,000 customers comprising government and private hospitals, dental practitioners, laboratories and physicians. ATC owes its success to investments in research and development of advanced and technology-based products and services, responding to changes and trends in the healthcare industry to remain abreast of the latest healthcare technologies. The Company caters to general hospitals, dental, biomedical, laboratories, pharmacy, security and other applications.

ATC Turnkey Projects:
In 2010, ATC completed the Sabah Al Ahmad Cardiac Centre (SACC), a turnkey project equipped to match the standards adhered to by the best cardiac centers in the world. Spread over five-stories, the SACC is also the first center in the country to introduce a primary angioplasty program. SACC was also equipped with sustainability and research in mind, with partnerships established with top-rated cardiac centers worldwide to exchange expertise and support research.

In 2013, ATC delivered the first hospital in the GCC region devoted to urology, the Sabah Al Ahmad Urology Centre (SAUC) located in Kuwait. A nine-floor and 20,000 square meters’ facility, SAUC is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and technology in compliance with the standards of quality, health and safety. The Hospital’s seven divisions are unified under the Sapphire HMS.

© Press Release 2017