Managing Change and Innovation in Dubai Medicine - Assignment Example

 Managing Change and Innovation Introduction The word ‘change’ is used in many ways and it can be defined differently as well; however the most commonly applicable definition would be 'to alter' or 'to make something different'. It can also be termed as a process that causes variation. Change is used in both positive and negative ways. There could be impacts leading to prosperity and good result, while change in a negative way would lead to destruction. Such is the importance of change that it can either 'make' or 'break'. Innovation is a term that we normally use in our daily life, and may be due to its over-usage this word has lost it significance which it originally has. Innovation is a new way of doing something. Innovation could be a result of incremental or evolutionary process or it could be result of some radical or revolutionary process. Change and innovation are closely related to each other and most of the times are coupled with each other during usage. Dubai has become a center of attraction for many reasons like businesses, tourism, shopping, luxurious hotels etc. There are many unique things about Dubai that are available very rarely in other parts of the worlds at one place. With so much going on in the city, the basic facilities provided by the Government of Dubai need to be matching with the other factors as well. Amongst the basic facilities that are government’s responsibility, health is probably the most important factor to take care of. Dubai has state-of-the-art facilities in health fields which are very fitting if compared with the advancements made in other fields. Different hospitals working under the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) like Al-Wasl hospital, Dubai Hospital, Rashid hospital etc. not only have very nice facilities available but they are also working to keep up with the pace of research and development in the field of medicine. New researches are applied to make sure the cure and prevention methods are applied to maximum use. Dubai – A Success Story Dubai is part of oil-rich country United Arab Emirates. Oil-richness is a good enough feature for the rest of the world to be renowned for but in a matter of few decades, Dubai has transformed itself. Now it has earned a distinction of a city which is a home to great international businesses and a tourism favorite. Dubai is a dynamic city with ever-growing net of tall buildings and facilities that attract many businesses towards it. Dubai is a modern cosmopolitan city and it has a mixture of multiple ethnicities that live in a very well-coordinated manner. Dubai is considered to be an extremely desirable real estate place in the world. It is the fastest growing city in the world because of interest shown in property and settlement by people from across the world. Many famous personalities from all walks of life have some sort of residential facility reserved in Dubai as it's a very safe, and at the same time, very luxurious place to stay in the world. Strategic location of Dubai actually gives extra advantage to it, being located not too far from Europe, Asia or Africa, makes Dubai a fitting place with respect to each context. Dubai is earning the title as a tourists’ city of the world. This is evident in the numbers itself. The number of visitors to Dubai has grown from 1.8 million to 5.4 million in the past decade. In an interview when it was asked from His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Makhtoum that “What are you trying to do here? What do you want this place to be?” he said, “I want it to be number one. Not in the region but in the world” (CBS, 1) In the quest of being unique and being the best, Dubai has many unique features and distinctions: It has one of the biggest airports in the world that gives Dubai an extra edge along with being the suitable location for connecting flights and tourism in between. The largest man made port in the world is in Dubai and the trade also gets the advantage of location because India is just in the neighborhood and one of the biggest market for the rest of the world to invest and get businesses prosper. The largest mall in the world is situated here which makes it another attraction for people to visit during holiday season and enjoy. The only 7 star hotel in the world is located in Dubai, it just adds to the luxuries already presented by Dubai to people. The largest theme parks in the world and is estimated to be bigger than Disney parks in Florida, makes Dubai a perfect place for families to enjoy along with doing shopping and passing leisure time. The largest skyscraper in the world, large buildings are still and going to be a hallmark of Dubai in the days to come. Palm Jumeirah the first man made palm-shaped man-made island, it’s one of a kind island of the world, perfect example of thinking innovative and then making extra ordinary efforts to materialize the concept. Where Health Care Fits in? An important question is that with all the details listed above about numerous advancements and unique things about Dubai, is Health Care also being taken care of? Is it just the craze of making Dubai a one-of-a-kind city with skyscrapers and wonders like Palm Jumeriah etc? Answer is no! Health care system has also been given great attention in Dubai. It is very logical that a state of the art medical facility that has a base of innovation as followed in other areas by government is available in Dubai. The Department of Health ＆Medical Services is the responsible health authority in the Emirate of Dubai. Its aim is to provide international standard preventative, curative and primitive health services to the community by utilizing the best technology and human resource. Dubai has been providing Individual services to the residents of the city but as its discusses above as well that being an important hub of business & finances, Department of Health & Medical Services provides vital services to corporate sector as well (DUBAI CITY, 2008). How Health Care System Developed? Health facilities in Dubai have earned considerable international accreditation for its quality services and integrated medical education. Research keeps all the systems in-sync with the modern day research requirements. Clinical awareness among general masses is keeping them aware of what preventative measures need to be taken to avoid diseases and also if someone is infected with a disease, what needs to be done to take maximum use of facilities available for cure. The primary medical care and hospital facilities available are of very high standards and similar to those available in other parts of the world like USA and Western Europe, however it all started with pure effort and very little infrastructure. Health Services started in Dubai in 1943 with very limited scope with just a small centre providing health and medicine advice to the local community. Eight years later, His Highness Late Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum started the construction of Al Maktoum hospital. Along with facilities of medicine, this hospital had wards of few beds for both male and female. Later on, it was advised by Late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeem Al Maktoum to establish the Department of Health and Medical Services and gave it the responsibility of modernization and development of health facilities in Dubai. Health Services are categorized into these three fields: Main Hospitals Rashid Hospital Dubai Hospital Wasl Hospital Primary Health Care Centers These primary health care centers provide preventive and therapeutic services such as maternal and child health care. Wide variety of health services including rehabilitation, international vaccination, mental health etc are also provided by Primary Health Centers. There are 20 health care centers and peripheral clinics throughout Dubai and geographical positions are defined considering easy access of patients to them (Dubai Health Authority, 2009). Specialty Centers These specialty centers are the centers of excellence for Department of Health and Medical Services in Dubai, these centers contain specific area research centers with research facilities available. Centers include Genetics Center, Elderly Center, Talassemia Center, Dubai Cord Blood and Research Center, Fertility, Blood Donor Centers, Dental and Trauma A measure of effectiveness of quality of health services in Dubai can be that according to a report, Life expectancy in Dubai is high at 73.35 years for males and about 78.56 years for females. Crude birth rate is 12.8% and infant mortality rate is 9.2 deaths per 1000 of the population (MoveForward, 2009) Dubai Health facilities have a very clear aim to concentrate more on the overall well-being of the residents of Dubai. To achieve this, the government-run medical centers and private health clinics existing around the city take care of the health care facilities of the people living in Dubai and also huge amount of tourists that are available at any given time. Patients are attended not only during the working hours but also acting on post-clinic private medical calls, which are part of the responsibilities of the medical practitioners of Dubai Health system. This is one of the good practices in Dubai that make the health care system in Dubai truly effective. Every person in Dubai, regardless of nationality and residency, is given the full medical attention he or she needs (Johnson, 2010). The public hospitals are bigger facilities and a backbone of Dubai Health System; they offer excellent medical facilities, especially during accidental injuries or other related emergencies. Hospitals are fantastically well-equipped to deal with any sort of medical emergency, highly trained staffs are available to help and aware public for their medical welfare. Another special feature and innovative thinking of Dubai Health system is the network of medical shops, these shops are located throughout the main area to make them accessible and quick to reach from every main locality. The doctors in the Dubai Health system are mostly under the control of the Health Ministry in Dubai. Others doctors come from the foreign lands like India, USA, Europe, Egypt and Pakistan. Their qualifications are verified and credentials are strictly scrutinized prior to awarding permission to practice in this country. Blend of capable doctors from the local area and all over the world make it much helpful for the Department of Health and Medical Services to effectively use capable Human Resource in the shape of capable doctors. Dealing with emergency situation is also give priority. Efficient ambulance services as an essential part of the Dubai Health system. Ambulances are under police administration as well to deal with traffic accidents as well as under public hospital so emergencies could be attended. The excellent services these ambulances provide help in managing the severity of several emergency situations. Conclusion It all may look like a charming story to read but it is a fact that in very little time, an optimal level of health services is achieved in Dubai. If we look at the beginning, the facilities available were negligible, need was felt for the proper system of health care then through innovative ways and pure dedication result was achieved. It is very important to note that emphasis was put on each and every aspect of organizing the health care system. A public sector strong structure serves as a back bone to the health care system, private health care system is playing a supporting role and partially under control of Government as well to ensure betterment of people. Emphasis on quality human resource in the shape of doctors and medical staff is ensured by quality hiring. State of the art Specialty centers are created to facilitate specific areas research and development. All this can be remarked as an innovative way of building a system. Dubai Health is possibly one of the best health care systems in the world; functionally it is so sound that it is always ready to protect the people with the best of facilities and human resource available. The wide range of special services is available along with timely ambulance and emergency service to ensure the best possible help is reached in-time. All this is designed and thought to ensure that people have a happy and healthy life ahead. REFERENCES CBS. “A visit to Dubai. Inc.” 2008, CBS News, Accessed 16 April 2010 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/12/60minutes/main3361753.shtml DUBAI CITY, 2008, “Department of Health and Medical Services, Dubai” DUBAI CITY: Your Online Guide, 16 April 2010 http://www.dubaicity.com/government-departments/Dept-of-health-and-medical-services.htm Dubai Health Authority, 2009, “Primary Health Care” Department of Health and Medical Service – Government of Dubai, Accessed 16 April 2010 http://www.dohms.gov.ae/Hospitals-Clinics/PrimaryHealthCare/ MoveForward, 2009, “Health Care in Dubai”, Expat Forum, [http://www.expatforum.com/articles/health/health-care-in-dubai.html] 16 April 2010 Johnson, Ike. 2010, “How the Health Care System in Dubai Works” Dubai, Accessed 16 April 2010 http://www.ebusinessgrowthpartners.com/dubai/how-the-health-care-system-in-dubai-works.php Read More