Abu Dhabi - UAE: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC,) managed by Cleveland Clinic, organized yesterday the first symposium on perioperative care of pediatric patient in Khalidiyah Rayhaan Hotel, Abu Dhabi. The number of attendees exceeded 100 targeting physicians, nurses and technicians in the anesthesia, surgery and pediatrics field. 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 symposium, accredited for 4.5 hours of Continuous Medical Education (CME), was organized by the Anesthesia Department in collaboration with the Pediatric Intensive Care at SKMC. Under the title of "Perioperative Care of Pediatric Patient", the half-day symposium comprised of 9 different presentations by a distinguished faculty of experts from SKMC covering essential topics in the field of anesthesiology, surgery and critical care for pediatric patients. They discussed the surgical aspects of neonatal and pediatric intensive care unit patients; neurosurgery in pediatric patients; perioperative assessment and preparation; sedation and acute pain management; mechanical ventilation - cardiopulmonary interaction; high frequency ventilation; and perioperative care of patients with neuromuscular disorder.
Dr. Atul Mehta, Chief Medical Officer at SKMC stated, "In addition to the quality healthcare services we are keen to offer at SKMC, we also believe that medical conferences and symposia such as this one illustrate not only SKMC's commitment to state-of-the-art healthcare delivery but also the promotion of continuous medical education."
Dr. John Mansfield, Chairman of Anesthesia Department at SKMC said, "The Anesthesiology Department at SKMC employs twelve consultants, nine specialists and nine technicians committed to providing state-of-the-art anesthetic care for adults and pediatric patients. Organizing this symposium is part of our obligation towards the community of physicians."
Dr. Yasser Zaghloul, Specialist Anesthesiology said, "At SKMC, we performed 2645 pediatric surgeries of all types including cardiac surgeries during 2009. Both the surgeon and anesthesiologist work closely with the rest of the staff to make the surgery a success as well as the intensive care physicians for postoperative care. It is also worth mentioning the high level of training needed for an anesthesiologist which actually reflects the complicated nature of this science. As anesthesiologists, we always discuss the different options available for pain control with the patient before he/she has surgery. Numerous tests would also be done to assess and evaluate the patient condition before selecting the best option for him/her."
From Pediatric intensive care side, Dr. Hubert Hon, Chair of Critical Care Medicine Institute commented, "The meeting aims to address the interdisciplinary continuum of care required for the care of pediatric and neonatal patients with surgical conditions. Pediatric Critical Care at SKMC is honored to be part of the team that provides the specialized backbone and expertise required for the perioperative care of these patients. The meeting was useful for both medical and surgical clinicians and is a collaborative effort between surgical, anesthesiology and pediatric critical care staff physicians at SKMC."
The Critical Care Institute at SKMC provides specialized care to critically ill patients, adults, pediatric and neonates. It manages twenty ICU and CCU beds for pediatric patients and another seven beds for high dependency pediatric patients. The unit provides complete medical and surgical care for critically ill infants, children and adolescents, ran by a specialized team of pediatric intensive care clinicians, catering to the special needs of the young patients. The majority of PICU patients are babies from shortly after delivery with surgical and cardiac conditions to four years of age, indicating more complex, high risk conditions. During 2009, the department accommodated more than 700 children. They were taken care of by board certified physicians in critical care medicine who have varied backgrounds with credentials in Anesthesia, Medicine and Pediatrics.
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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 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. 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.gov.ae.
About the SEHA Health System 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 Health System. 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, Senior Media Relations Officer - SKMC
Tel.: +971508128892
Email: marketing@skmc.gov.ae
© Press Release 2010
