Shaping the Future of Healthcare Facilities

By Arab Health Magazine Staff

Construction is a trending topic in the healthcare sector with numerous projects being planned or under construction throughout the GCC. The aging population, market competition, and the need to continually raise the bar in the delivery of care have kept healthcare organisations vigilant. While balancing these dynamics with financial resources has proven to be challenging, companies are confidently forging ahead with initiatives that are benefiting the entire sector.

According to a recent BNC Network GCC construction intelligence report, the healthcare industry constitutes 4 per cent of all active projects in the GCC’s urban construction sector and in dollar terms, these projects account for 5 per cent of the total estimated value.

The report further highlighted that the total value of the 707 healthcare projects currently under development across the GCC exceed $60.9 billion. Of this the 445 projects collectively worth $51.9 billion are hospital projects, while the other 262 projects, worth $9 billion, are medical clinics or research centres.

These investments and rapid growth are in direct response to significant opportunities and challenges created by various socio-economic and business trends. Demand for healthcare in the GCC countries has been driven by changing demographics, including a surge in population, rise in income levels and a greater prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Among the different factors driving this growth are the recently introduced mandatory health insurance schemes that are driving investment in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and other healthcare facilities.

Putting a spotlight on this burgeoning sector is the Building Healthcare Innovation & Design Show 2018, taking place from October 2 to 4, in Hall 8, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, that will bring together key decision makers involved in the development, design and management of hospitals and other medical facilities. It offers a unique platform for investors, architects, consultants, contractors, developers, planners as well as healthcare professionals such as medical directors, department heads, facility managers, among others, to discuss the latest developments in the industry.

The show is co-located with Cityscape Global, one of the most influential real estate exhibitions in the Middle East that attracts influencers within the construction, design and development industry in the region.

At Building Healthcare, visitors will get the opportunity to engage with over 3,800 decision makers. Plus, they can connect with existing clients or partners and reach new hospital project representatives to build lucrative business contacts, gather market insight and key knowledge on how to do business in the Middle East, and showcase latest products and services to decision makers, architects, and government officials.

The show will bring together a targeted audience of industry professionals, such as from the architecture and design, fitting and hardware, healthcare planning, construction, and facilities management industry who will be displaying their latest design solutions, as well as be sourcing new concepts that balance the technical needs of doctors and staff with the comfort of patients for their healthcare facilities.

Along with the industrial workshops, the conference tracks based on the lifecycle of the hospital build, and the exhibition, the show gives the region’s healthcare authorities the opportunity to network and to share their knowledge and solutions to current challenges faced by a healthcare facility.

Conference Agenda
Based on the theme “Delivering fit-for-purpose healthcare facilities”, the Building Healthcare Congress 2018 aims at addressing the main challenges involved in planning, designing, building and operating a healthcare facility. Here international and national industry experts will discuss current topical issues in building different healthcare facilities.

The congress will offer access to the latest developments, innovations and best practices to keep healthcare build projects ahead of the curve in this evolving market. It is providing five half-day tracks spanning the entire lifecycle of a healthcare facility build: Vision & Masterplan; Invest; Design & Build; Equip; Operate. It is structured to align with the holistic nature of current healthcare developments and provide an all-encompassing view of the key challenges and best practices involved throughout. Below is a look at the topics each conference track will cover:

Vision & Masterplan: This session will focus on the importance of defining the vision of a healthcare facility at the beginning of a project to ensure the right facility is being built with the end in mind. It will address the challenges that arise in the planning stages of a build project while offering practical take-home solutions for a successful strategy. The session will also provide a unique platform for all stakeholders involved in the project to exchange best practice procedures and assess how to best optimise their involvement in this stage of the project.

Invest: Everyday billions of dollars are being poured into new projects to build top facilities for patients. In a region where competition is extremely high, and the market is already on the way to saturation, this session will provide the finer details on healthcare investment in the region. Join industry leaders to discuss investment perspective and the current trends and challenges when looking to invest in healthcare.

Design & Build: A healthcare facility’s design establishes the basis for safe and effective care within its environment. As the market shifts from the government to the private sector, there’s a larger emphasis on fit-for-purpose, efficiency and financially responsible designs. This implies that we analyse not only first costs but more importantly life cycle costs. Designing and executing the construction of a healthcare project requires the collaboration of appropriate expertise. This session will discuss the lessons learned as we strive to design and construct “fit-for-purpose” facilities, as well as the impacts of various construction elements such as engineering, operations and technology have on the healthcare business.

Equip: Whether equipping a new healthcare facility or keeping up to date with advances in medical technology in an established facility, it is a stage of the lifecycle that requires constant attention. Medical equipment accounts for 60-70 per cent of healthcare facility design and can be one of the biggest challenges in any new or existing project. This session will explore the latest trends and strategies from design and master planning to procurement and delivery illustrated through lessons learnt from challenging projects in the region.

Operate: This session will focus exclusively on operational planning, which addresses the hospital and its role in the health service system in a comprehensive manner. The session will outline how to set up structures for governance and staffing, develop plans for hiring, and how to create standard operating procedures for how everything will run when the hospital opens.

Seminars and Workshops
In addition to the five conference tracks, Building Healthcare will feature a range of seminars and workshops on the exhibition floor. These educational sessions will examine ongoing projects in the MENA region, discuss how to invest in new markets and assess case studies of planning, design, and construction that can be used in future projects.

The special focus sessions on regional healthcare infrastructure projects will home in on the current state of the healthcare market. Information will be provided on both current and upcoming projects, investment opportunities and gaps in the market to give attendees the knowledge needed to expand their business throughout the MENA region. 

Hospital Projects in the GCC
Building Healthcare brings out the Hospital Projects in the Middle East Report that details current and future hospital and infrastructure projects. It gives an insight into the following areas: Market Synopsis & Trends; Overview of the healthcare infrastructure; Insight into the region’s investment climate; Indication of growth drivers and challenges; and Project updates per GCC country, Iran, and Egypt. Below is a look at key highlights:

UAE: According to investment banking advisory firm Alpen Capital, the healthcare market in the UAE is projected at $19.5 billion in 2020, indicating an annual average growth of 12.7 per cent from 2015. The outpatient and inpatient markets are projected to reach $12.1 billion and $7.5 billion, respectively, in 2020. The country is likely to see a nearly 3 per cent annual increase in the number of hospital beds required, presenting a demand of more than 13,800 beds by 2020.

Saudi Arabia: According to investment banking advisory firm Alpen Capital, the Saudi Arabian healthcare market is forecasted to reach $27.4 billion in 2020, registering a CAGR of 11.0 per cent from 2015. The outpatient and inpatient markets are expected at $15.2 billion and $12.2 billion, respectively, in 2020. From less than 70,000 in 2015, the number of beds required in the Kingdom is likely to cross 76,500 in 2020.

Egypt: According to 2013 statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), the most recent data available, health expenditure accounts for 5.1 per cent of Egypt’s gross domestic product (GDP). WHO data also shows that as of 2013, the country had five hospital beds per 10,000 residents, down significantly from 17.3 beds in 2010.

For more information and to download the report visit www.buildinghealthcare-exhibition.com