Dr Heather Eade, Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner, heads the department offering a broad range of healthcare conditions

Dubai, UAE; April 11, 2010: The Dubai Mall Medical Centre, the flagship healthcare centre of the Emaar Healthcare Group and Methodist International partnership, has strengthened its portfolio of healthcare services with the opening of the Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) Department.

Focused on the holistic wellness of visitors in addition to offering specialised services that meet modern lifestyle requirements, the CAM Department is headed by Dr Heather Eade, Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner, with extensive experience working in Canada and Saudi Arabia previously.

The CAM Department at The Dubai Mall Medical Centre offers a spectrum of treatment options that address specific patient profiles in addition to supporting the other departments by providing valuable lifestyle recommendations for patients. A variety of conditions can be addressed by the department including gastro-intestinal problems, skin conditions, reproductive concerns, hormonal abnormalities, as well as lifestyle issues like smoking cessation, weight loss, and stress management.

Mr Omar Al Shunnar, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Healthcare Group, said: "A recent healthcare survey in the UAE reports that nearly a third of the Emirati population is obese and that one in every four Nationals is diabetic. This is an indication of the need for modifying lifestyles, in which complementary & alternative medicine can play a pivotal role."

He added: "The opening of the CAM departments underlines our commitment to offer holistic treatment options for visitors, and underscores how we are leading the way in integrated medical care for the community. By integrating wellness treatments with modern treatments, patients benefit from an overall lifestyle modification that adds to their well-being."

"While antibiotics have saved millions of lives, there has been a real shift in the way people think about their health," said Dr. Sarper Tanli, Executive Director for Methodist International. "Many people are attracted to complementary alternative medicine, as it emphasizes on treating the whole person - body, mind and spirit. Some physicians have started to use CAM as a part of support to their conventional medicine practice. A combination of complementary and conventional medicine integrates the solutions for people's well-being and patients find the individualized and collaborative approach of medicine particularly appealing."

Dr Eade added: "Complementary & Alternative Medicine is gaining acceptance as a healthcare priority by healthcare organisations globally. CAM treatments are focused on preventative as well as corrective options, in tune with the individual needs of each patient. The value of CAM therapies, when integrated in a modern treatment centre, is immense as the focus is on healthcare options that promote and support the body's natural healing processes."

Dr Eade's scope of practice as a Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner includes clinical nutrition, homeopathy, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and physical medicine. Further certifications in colon hydrotherapy, cranio-sacral therapy, intravenous, and chelation therapy leave Dr. Eade well positioned to offer comprehensive CAM treatment protocols for a variety of medical conditions. In addition, the department offers food and environmental sensitivity screening.

Dr Eade completed her BSc (Honors) in Life Sciences at Queen's University in Canada in 1999, and her four-year doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in Vancouver, Canada in 2005, where she earned the prestigious John Cosgrove Award for Excellence in Clinical Skills. 

Previously she managed the Complementary and Alternative Medicine department in a private hospital in Saudi Arabia, and has experience treating patients of all ages. She has a particular interest in helping her patients achieve their health and wellness goals through truly individualized and integrated care.

Conveniently located within The Dubai Mall, the 60,000 sq ft premium multi-speciality medical centre is focused on offering an integrated healthcare experience, and is the largest out-patient facility in the region. The focus of the medical centre is to drive Emaar Healthcare Group's goal of creating holistic healthcare systems that are aligned with the needs of the community.

Other specialities offered include: cardiology, orthopaedics, general surgery, paediatrics, family medicine, endocrinology, urology, gastroenterology, general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology.

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About Emaar Healthcare Group LLC:
Emaar Healthcare Group LLC, the wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, plans to develop and manage hospitals, clinics and medical centres in the Middle East and North Africa region, the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. These centres will offer quality health services and also work to strengthen the healthcare sector of the various countries through effective public-private partnerships. Emaar Healthcare has also formed a strategic tie-up with a renowned medical institution to bring about and set best practice standards in all the regions it serves.

About Emaar Properties PJSC:
Emaar Properties PJSC, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is a global property developer with a significant presence world-wide. Besides building residential and commercial properties, the company also has proven competencies in shopping malls & retail, hospitality & leisure, education, healthcare and finance sectors. For more information visit: www.emaar.com.

About Methodist International:
The Methodist Hospital in Houston has a 90-year legacy of medical milestones that attracts patients from around the world. As a founding member of Texas Medical Center, Methodist is a major academic medical centre that was home to famed heart surgeon Dr Michael E DeBakey. The Methodist Hospital is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet Designation in the areas of nursing administration, education, clinical practice, research and quality. Methodist was ranked by US News & World Report on its prestigious "Best Hospitals Honor Roll" for 2009 and is continually ranked among Fortune Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For". Methodist is the highest ranked healthcare organization in the US by Fortune and ranked 1st in the US for its patient satisfaction score by UHC. As its subsidiary, Methodist International is focused on collaboration with global care organizations to build capacity through the transfer of knowledge and expertise. Its goal is to improve care and to move global health care quality towards a consistent level of excellence.

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Home 
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971 4) 334 4550
E-mail: k.home@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2010