Abu Dhabi - UAE: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) managed by Cleveland Clinic organizes an educational campaign on Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation from 1 - 5 May 2011 under the title of "Together for a Better Life". SKMC is part of the SEHA Health System and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The educational campaign, organized by the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at SKMC, targets physicians, nurses and staff of SKMC as well as patients and visitors. The objective of the campaign is to raise awareness about the range of services offered by the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at SKMC, and how it could support other medical specialties within the Medical City.
On the first day, the opening ceremony included several educational presentations as well as a keynote speech from one of the patients about his own experience with the rehabilitation unit at SKMC. He thanked the team of physicians, therapists and nurses who helped him walk again after he had a severe spinal cord injury from a car accident last year that rendered him tetraplegia. The patient is now walking again, back to work, and is living a normal life. The patient stated, "Individuals should not ignore the importance of rehabilitation. It is the rehabilitation team that helps improving the lives of many patients suffering from either injuries or congenital defects. From here, I would like to thank the team who has taken care of me during the past seven months. With their patience and expertise, they helped me get back on my feet again!"
The second and third day included presentations about rehabilitation targeting the nurses team and physicians respectively. On Wednesday and Thursday, a booth will be set up at SKMC's main lobby offering visitors consultation services and educational brochures. Games and quizzes; and two presentations open to all staff are also planned. Such activities help promote the efforts of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Institute not only to patients and visitors but also the staff in all SKMC's facilities. The activities during the week are taking place at the Sheikh Khalifa Surgical Pavilion, the Outpatient Specialty Clinics Building and Al Bateen Family Medicine Clinic.
Dr. Rida Baruni, Chairman of Physician Medicine and Rehabilitation Institute at SKMC said, "We are pleased to organize this educational campaign for our staff, patients and visitors and we look forward to do so annually".
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is a medical specialty that emphasizes the diagnosis and treatment of patients who experience limitation in functions resulting from any disease, injury or congenital defect.
"Our intention is to promote the importance of rehabilitation in the patient's treatment journey. Patients themselves need to understand how rehabilitation benefits them in the long run. We encounter many patients who may not appreciate that the rehabilitation process is a team efforts and the patient is the centre of the team and is expected to participate in the process in an active manner, said Dr. Baruni. "Rehabilitation is 'The art of improving quality of life of people with disability'. Our Institute strives to promote the quality of our patient's life and functional outcomes through a dynamic team oriented approach."
Commenting on this educational campaign, Dr. Tej Maini, CEO of SKMC stated, "Our objective in organizing the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Educational Campaign is to promote the importance of rehabilitation and getting the right and complete treatment. Following many injuries, surgeries, and disease processes, medical rehabilitation programs are essential to achieving best functional outcomes. SKMC is committed to apply the best medical practices and to educate our patients, staff and the community on medical topics and treatment alternatives."
Dr. Atul Mehta, Chief Medical Officer at SKMC said, "SKMC continuously organizes and participates in health campaigns, symposia and educational activities. In addition to providing advanced surgical and medical services that meet internationally recognized standards of excellence to the residents of the UAE, our mission is to increase the awareness of the public about available treatment tools and options in the community."
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About SKMC's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Institute
The Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute is a specialized entity that has evolved as a national leader in medical rehabilitation care. Delivering a patient-centered approach to both its patients and their families, the Institute has adopted the most up to date, international methods of administering interdisciplinary/acute and post acute rehabilitation.
The Institute's core team consists of Physiatrists (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians), Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Speech & Language Pathologists, Physical Therapists, Social Workers and Prosthetists and Orthotists. The team also works closely with Neurosurgeons, Internists, Rheumatologists, Neurologists, Pediatricians and Orthopedic Surgeons.
Accommodating a 21 bed acute rehabilitation unit and satellite therapy areas in SKMC's Surgical and Medical Pavilions, the Institute provides world class acute/post acute rehabilitation care to individuals with stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multi-trauma and various other neurological and musculoskeletal impairments, both as inpatients and outpatients.
As the first of its kind in the UAE, the Institute is committed to establishing a post-graduate medical and allied health care professionals training programs. Members of the institute are also participating as principle investigators in numerous clinical research projects.
Summary of Services Provided:
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Assessment and Interventions)
- Electrophysiology (EMG)
- Pain Management
- Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
- Neurological Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy (Including seating assessment)
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Speech and Language Pathology (Dealing with a variety of communication and swallowing disorders)
- Pediatric / adolescent comprehensive rehabilitation clinic, spasticity management
About SKMC managed by Cleveland Clinic
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) is located in Abu Dhabi City, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and operates under the management of Cleveland Clinic, consistently named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. SKMC, is owned by SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, recently established to oversee operations of all public hospitals in the Emirate. SKMC is the flagship institution for the public health system in Abu Dhabi and has several 'Centers of Excellence', and aspires to practice contemporary medicine comparable to the best hospitals and medical centers in the world. SKMC provides comprehensive healthcare services in all of the disciplines relevant to the needs and priorities of the community to attain the highest levels of patient satisfaction.
SKMC, the largest hospital and medical city in the UAE, consists of 568-bed Tertiary Hospital, 14 outpatient specialty clinics and Abu Dhabi Blood Bank, all of which are accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI). SKMC is also accredited as a Cycle III Chest Pain Center with Primary Angioplasty Intervention; and is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for its Main Laboratory and the Abu Dhabi Blood Bank. In addition, SKMC manages a 125-bed Behavioral Sciences Pavilion, 6 Family Medicine Clinics, 2 Dental Centers, and 2 Urgent Care Centers distributed over the city of Abu Dhabi. For further information, please contact us at marketing@skmc.gov.ae or visit www.skmc.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 providing high quality, cost effective healthcare in a socially responsible way on par with international standards measured through accessibility, affordability, choice and satisfaction. SEHA has partnered with internationally recognized hospital managers to achieve these goals. These include Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, VAMED, Vienna Medical University and Bumrungrad International. 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 16,500 doctors, nurses, ancillary care and administrative personnel in its employ. Visit our website at www.seha.ae.
Media Contact:
Farah Al Alami
Mob.:0508128892
Email: marketing@skmc.gov.ae
© Press Release 2011
