Abu Dhabi - June 29, 2011: In hosting its first Laboratory Professional Day, Al Rahba Hospital has promoted and highlighted an often-overlooked yet highly essential area of health care.

"High quality lab processes are an essential part of medicine, diagnostics and the provision of healthcare," said Dr. Issam Ateig, the Chief of Service for the Laboratory at Al Rahba. "From running blood tests to identifying various bacteria, lab diagnosticians offer the technical expertise that helps doctors to diagnose and treat patients effectively.  Unfortunately, the general public is often unaware of the precision and professionalism that goes into the field. This event is meant as a sign of appreciation to our lab teams, and to promote their expertise, unique skills and dedication."

The five sections of the Al Rahba Medical Laboratory Department - phlebotomy, biochemistry, microbiology, hematology and blood bank - took part in the four-hour event on June 9th.  More than 274 health care professionals and members of the public learned about the laboratory services available at Al Rahba Hospital through interactive games, quizzes, and demonstrations.

The Phlebotomy House section presented a video about the blood drawing process, including a segment on how to prevent blood collection errors. The Biochemistry Tent provided information on the quality assurance process and the chemical reactions used by the analyzers while the Microbiology Section showed microorganism slides under the microscope. The new E. coli strain, responsible for the recent European outbreak, was discussed, along with the up-to-date information on the outbreak. The Hematology and Blood Bank departments celebrated the event with "blood-group-compatible" balloons and cupcakes. 

"Overall, the message for the day was that laboratory professionals are a critical component of the health care team", said Dr. Issam Ateig, Chief of Service for the Laboratory at Al Rahba. "They work behind the scenes to provide timely and accurate lab tests to aid physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. At Al Rahba, we pride ourselves for our diagnostic capabilities through state-of-the-art equipment and services that are available around the clock. We are grateful to our expert laboratory technicians and technologists for supporting us in our mission of providing excellent health care to our patients," Dr. Ateig concluded.

The 163-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International and owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA).

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About Al Rahba Hospital
Opening in 2003, Al Rahba Hospital is a 163-bed, advanced secondary-care general hospital managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International.  It is part of the SEHA HealthSystem and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA).   Al Rahba Hospital was the first public hospital in the UAE to be accredited by Joint Commission International in 2006 and was reaccredited in 2009. The hospital was rated The Best Public Hospital in Abu Dhabi with the highest "Customer Satisfaction Rate" in a survey conducted by Daman in May 2009.

The organization delivers diagnostic and curative services primarily in Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Orthopedics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Neurosurgery, Dentistry and Emergency Medicine.In addition, Al Rahba Hospital provides other specialized services, including 24 Hour Accident and Emergency Services, Dialysis, Intensive Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, Lab Medicine, Radiology, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy.

For more information, please visit us at www.alrahba.ae.

About the SEHA HealthSystem and the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA)
SEHA is health in Arabic.  The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC- whose marketing identity is SEHA - is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi which together make up the SEHA HealthSystem.  SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing our customers and communities served world class healthcare.  SEHA has partnered with internationally recognized hospital managers to achieve these goals.  These include Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, VAMED, Medical University of Vienna, Bumrungrad International and Fresenius Medical Care.  SEHA owns and operates 12 hospitals with 2,644 beds, 62 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 2 blood banks.  SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 17,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care and administrative personnel in its employ.  Visit our website at www.seha.ae .

About Johns Hopkins Medicine International
Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) facilitates the global expansion of the Johns Hopkins Medicine mission: to improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. JHI provides personalized, culturally appropriate care for patients traveling from outside Maryland and the United States, and for local patients with limited English proficiency. JHI also leverages Hopkins' extensive knowledge base in medicine, nursing, public health, business and health care administration to provide services in hospital management, health care consulting and clinical education through strategic alliances and affiliations throughout the world.

For further information please contact:
Maan Dalghan
PR Account Manager
O2 Public Relations
Tel: +971 4 3122 777
Mob: +97150 4735351
Email: maan.d@o2pr.net

© Press Release 2011