Interview with Dott. James Loïc GEORGES, Head of International Development, Gruppo San Donato - Milano (Italy).

As Head of International Business Development, what do you think is currently driving the healthcare industry forward, both in the MENA region and globally? 

The medical tourism market is growing very quickly as an increasing number of patients seek treatment abroad because of a multitude of issues they experience in their home countries such as long waiting time, lack of availability of expert and high-quality treatment, and also because of the phenomenal differences in treatment costs found between countries.The UAE, and more specifically the emirate of Dubai, is steadily rising to become a medical tourism hub for the MENA region as it has positioned itself with a unique combination of excellent infrastructure, global healthcare alliances and partnerships and the services of renowned medical experts that is clearly transforming health tourism in the emirate into an attractive and sustainable business activity.As countries like the UAE are devising healthcare strategies for moving forward to an improved and high-value healthcare delivery system, and are also increasingly becoming global players in the industry, these countries need to structure their medical offer for their own population and for the population of foreign medical tourists that they wish to attract.

What plans does Gruppo San Donato have in Dubai? What would be your core areas of focus in this region?

Gruppo San Donato will, through our medical training center in Dubai, assist the local medical healthcare providers to raise the quality of services and improve efficiency while also reducing the cost of travel for patients. It is very important for countries to increase the quality of the local clinical standards in the medical and clinical areas. This strategic development is dependent not only on the infrastructural facilities and technologies but much more on the high profile of the doctors and medical staff available in both research and diagnosis/treatment. As one of the largest European medical providers, Gruppo San Donato owns one of the most important and diversified database of medical and clinical experiences which, we are certain, will enhance and expedite the process for countries in the region to emerge as international medical tourism hubs.

What, according to you, are the main ideas/strategies that will transform the healthcare industry of the future?

The most difficult skill to achieve is sustainability of the quality of medical treatments which is possible only by having a range of high profile specialists and medical staff at a healthcare facility. It is a paradox that it is much easier to obtain the technology and to upgrade the medical facility than to guarantee high-quality treatment and the continuous care and expertise of specialists. This is exactly why Gruppo San Donato has accepted the strategic challenge of becoming the exclusive and largest provider of medical training for the whole of Dubai.

How important is innovation in healthcare? What are the technological, medical and strategic innovations that your company brings to the healthcare arena? 

Currently, several medical brands are concentrating on improving the technological marketing and promotion of their own companies. Unfortunately, very few of them have realised that it is equally important to assist and train the people who are using these technologies on a daily basis. This activity is very time consuming but it is a fundamental investment in human resources which will definitely impact the long-term growth of the healthcare industry and treatment standards.

What will GSD be showcasing at Arab Health this year? What is unique or new about your product or service?

This year GSD has chosen to highlight our educational excellence in training programmes such as hands-on training. The Dental School of San Raffaele Medical City is a great example of our excellent teaching programmes and that’s why we will showcase specifically in that field.

Gruppo San Donato has a very unique and integrated model of organisation where educational, clinical and research programmes are working together. What is unique about GSD is that apart from being the leading private hospital group in Italy as well as the most important centre for medical research, we also host internationally renowned faculty in medicine and provide a complete set of medical, academic and research activities.

As a company closely associated with Arab Health for the past several years, how would you evaluate the impact of the event on the healthcare industry in the MENA region? Arab Health is one of the most important and globally renowned international events in the medical sector. This is why Gruppo San Donato has, for more than 4 years, chosen to invest and participate as Platinum sponsor and an exclusive medical tourism partner. We see it as a unique opportunity to increase our visibility and find key networking possibilities.

How has Arab Health aided your company’s yearly strategy in developing business opportunities in this growing region? It is because of Arab Health and Informa Life Sciences that we have achieved such significant visibility in the UAE and found opportunities for partnerships and integration possibilities for our regional business. We have chosen to open an office in Dubai after having seen the vast opportunities available and the exponential growth in the MENA region. Arab Health has thus been a key part of this discovery, indirectly aiding us in our expansion plans.

What, according to you, are the real benefits and opportunities available to healthcare and trade professionals to attend Arab Health?

Arab Health is the only event that really provides a panoramic picture of all innovative, international and efficient medical activities and global services available today. It therefore has a high impact on the medical trade. It allows the big players of the market to evaluate and to pick out the most important trends and innovations in their sectors and specialties. For SMEs, it is the platform to find out their potential partners in international medical projects and take advantage of a large variety of opportunities. Arab Health is also the perfect venue for meeting international medical tourism agencies and making mutually beneficial B2B and B2G connections.