Big Data to drive reduced healthcare costs and improved quality of care in GCC

International case studies to be presented at Big Data Conference at Arab Health 2014
Dubai, UAE: The GCC has all of the necessary factors to enable Big Data to launch with success.
There are several large healthcare systems and regulators bringing together enormous amounts of
data in real time about their patients and populations. The region also has access to cutting edge IT
and mobile technologies to collect and manage the data. More importantly, it is equipped with the
tools and growing talent to perform analytics in the healthcare sector. A panel of international and regional experts will highlight the global outcomes of implementing Big
Data in healthcare during the Big Data Conference at the 39th Arab Health Exhibition & Congress
from 28-29 January 2014 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.
There is a worldwide divide between laboratory scientists who continuously produce new research
findings and medical professionals in their clinical settings who need to be aware of these results.
The same applies to patient medical records that need to be accessible across a number of
specialties. This divide is more pronounced in the developing world due to the lack of conscious
effort to translate research findings into clinical practice through analytics. Bridging this gap through
sharing the latest health information will have a positive impact on patients and can even be
lifesaving.
According to Daniel Whitehead, MENA Healthcare Lead, Booz Allen Hamilton, “Using data analytics
on electronic health records in real time can offer enormous benefits for patients in this region. For
example, predictive analytics can be used to identify which patients are more at risk of life
threatening complications in the ER. Moreover, in the management of chronic diseases using mobile
monitoring applications, Big Data can help identify which behaviours are associated with negative
outcomes and which interventions are most effective.”
“There has been a lot of buzz around the potential for ‘Big Data’ to enable better decision making,”
says Mike Swinford, CEO, GE Global Healthcare Services. “Adding in human insight and process
control with analytical structures is what GE calls the ‘Industrial Internet’; Intelligent Machines –
Intelligent Information – Intelligent People. This is what the Industrial Internet is all about. In
healthcare, this strategic approach is a way to drive optimisation of assets, reduce operational
inefficiencies and improve clinical quality, all while reducing costs.”
According to Dr Abdul Rezzak Hamzeh, Senior Scientific Coordinator, Centre for Arab Genomic
Studies, Dubai, UAE, “A working example of using Big Data in healthcare in the GCC is through the
CTGA (Catalogue for Transmission Genetics in Arabs) database at the Centre for Arab Genomic
Studies in Dubai. The CTGA database is the largest ethnic-based genetic database worldwide and it
currently hosts a collection of over 1600 records of genetic disorders and their related genes. These
records provide good quality coverage of both clinical and molecular aspects of the geneticdisorder, and more importantly they offer comprehensive and updated coverage of research results
on these disorders in Arab populations.”
-END- Note to Editors
About Arab Health Exhibition & Congress
Arab Health Exhibition & Congress is the largest healthcare event in the Middle East. Established 39
years ago, Arab Health provides a platform for the world’s leading manufacturers, wholesalers and
distributors to meet the medical and scientific community in the Middle East and subcontinent. Arab
Health, organised by Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, takes place from 27-30 January 2014 at the
Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre. With more than 3900 exhibiting companies
from 63 countries and 19 healthcare conferences with an estimated 9000 delegates, Arab Health is a
much anticipated addition to the 2014 medical event calendar.
Website: www.arabhealthonline.com
About Booz Allen Hamilton: Website: www.boozallen.com
About GE Global Healthcare:
Website: www.gehealthcare.com
About Arabic Genetic Centre:
Website: www.cags.org.ae
For press enquires please contact:
Weaam El-Ataya
PR & Social Media Executive
Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions
T: +971 4 408 2813
weaam.elataya@informa.com