As part of the ongoing strategy of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company - SEHA to improve the access to and delivery of health care services, SKMC managed by Cleveland Clinic is pleased to announce the official inauguration of a state-of-the-art Therapeutic Apheresis Program. SKMC is owned and operated by SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Therapeutic Apheresis is a procedure where the patient's blood is passed through a machine called a cell separator and components of the blood may be separated and removed. The separation of the blood happens in a part of the machine called the centrifuge. The procedure lasts for an average of two hours. The patient's blood passes through a sterile, single use apheresis apparatus that is discarded after the procedure.
Dr. Scott Strong, CEO of SKMC, stated that "Inaugurating the Therapeutic Apheresis Program is part of our overall strategy for expanding and offering the best services to our patients at SKMC. SKMC is committed to continuous improvement of quality care to ultimately improve the health of the UAE population".
Dr. Atul Mehta, Chief Medical Officer at SKMC said "The new Therapeutic Apheresis Program demonstrates the commitment of SEHA and SKMC in providing advanced medical care that meets internationally recognized standards of excellence and patients' satisfaction".
Dr. David Spence, Chair of Medicine Institute at SKMC said "Several hematological, neurological and renal disorders may be treated using apheresis. For example, in Sickle Cell Disease, the red cells in the blood are unhealthy. By passing the patient's blood through the machine, the unhealthy red cells can be removed and the patient will receive the remainder of their blood back plus healthy red cells that have been donated by a healthy blood donor. Another example is when the patient may have a disease process in the plasma portion of the blood. The cell separator can remove the unhealthy plasma and return the rest of the patient's blood plus healthy plasma that has been donated by a healthy donor".
"The procedure is prescribed by a consultant hematologist and is performed by the apheresis nursing team. All blood used during the procedure is collected from healthy donors through Abu Dhabi Blood Bank, and is thoroughly tested and processed as per international standards", Dr. Spence added.
Dr. Nameer Al Saadawi, Consultant Hematologist and Head Hematology Division stated that "The program is currently staffed by 2 physicians and 2 nurses. Patients requiring this treatment are usually admitted to the hospital. The procedure itself can be performed easily at the patient's bed side, ensuring patient comfort at all times. It could be used for both adults and children".
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About SKMC
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, operates under the management of Cleveland Clinic, named among the top hospitals in the USA by U.S. News and World Report. 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 health care 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 a 520-bed Acute Care Hospital and 14 specialized outpatient clinics accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI). In addition, SKMC manages a 120-bed Behavior Sciences Pavilion, a 88-bed Rehabilitation Center, 9 primary healthcare centers, and two dental centers distributed over the city of Abu Dhabi. For further information, contact Farah I. Al Alami, Senior Media & Marketing Officer, at falalami@skmc.gov.ae
About SEHA - Abu Dhabi Health Services Company
SEHA is health in Arabic. The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company - whose corporate identity is SEHA - is an independent, public joint stock company created to manage and develop the curative activities of the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. SEHA is committed to providing quality, cost effective healthcare on par with international standards measured through accessibility, affordability, choice and satisfaction. SEHA manages 8 hospital systems totaling 12 facilities, 2,472 licensed beds, more than 50 Ambulatory and Primary Health Clinics. SEHA employs more than 16,000 doctors, nurses and other clinical staff and administration.
© Press Release 2009
