DHA and IHF Launch the “Future Health Leaders” Program in Collaboration with INDEX Holding

Dubai – United Arab Emirates, December 8th 2013: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the International Hospital Federation (IHF) launched today “the Future Health Leaders Program” in collaboration with INDEX Holding. The program is dedicated for professionals of healthcare industry in Dubai and it was announced during a press conference held today at the Society of Engineers. The Press Conference was presided by HE Eng. Essa Al Maidoor, Director General of DHA, Dr. Eric de Roodenbeke, CEO of IHF and Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, IHF Advisor in the Middle East Region and Chairman of INDEX Holding

The Future Health Leaders program is designed to raise the knowledge and skills of healthcare managers to help them increase their confidence and competence as leaders and to improve the performance of their organisations. The learning program will expose participants to key management principles and will enable them to acquire basic and advanced competencies for the effective operation of any health facility.

HE Essa Al Maidoor said: “The DHA firmly believes in the importance of continuous education and this training program aims to help health professionals - understand the practice of management and leadership in the healthcare environment, and it will also help them develop competence and a progressive approach to leadership and management. The program is unique as it relies on personal development process and will allow each learner to customize the content in relation with his/her own background and needs.”

“In addition we believe that the program will help the participants to develop their skills: enhance organizational results, respond to challenges, work in teams and mobilize others, understand how your personality shapes your role as a manager and benefit from continuous learning.” added Al Maidoor

The program spans over a period of nine months starting this December and ends in October 2014.  It includes three onsite training sessions including personal training as well as customized management improvement projects. At the end of the program, participants will receive a certificate of achievement issued by the IHF and DHA.

The first session will be an introduction to essential knowledge. The training will combine lectures, exercises, small group discussion, case studies, and personal research and reflection. While the second session will look more closely at how the tools work together in healthcare organisations to impact clinical results and raise patient satisfaction by focusing on Human Resources, Financial Management, Facilities, Equipment, and Construction Managers, Purchasing and Supply Chain, Quality and Safety, Legal and Contracting Functions, Information Systems and Knowledge Management. While the third session will allow participants to better understand major trends of evolution in healthcare service delivery.

DR Eric de Roodenbeke said: “In many countries, most of the health professionals who are handling managerial positions do not receive specific and comprehensive management training sources, mainly because of lack of access to learning opportunities adapted to their needs. Some may have a diploma in management or healthcare administration but may not have a chance to be trained and later translate the knowledge that they have learned to develop strong managerial capacity.”

Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Chairman of INDEX Holding said: “The aim of this program is to provide health professionals, who work in a position where management skills are required, with latest techniques to acquire or strengthen their knowledge and skills and have a full ability to fulfill their responsibilities effectively and efficiently.”

It will aim not only to improve personal competency but also to create a minimal common managerial culture and ability to better relate with top management and understand rational for decision making in the context of the country. The program will facilitate exchanges of experience and interaction and will foster a better understanding of each position in regard to the optimal functioning of the whole system.

The nine-month program is open for adult learners having a background as a health professional positioned in a healthcare facility of any nature and currently holding a managerial position. A group of thirty people were selected for this program by the DHA coming from managerial, medical and administrative backgrounds.

After completion of the program, participants will be able to understand the basics of management and leadership in healthcare environment, know the core tools and approaches used for management and operations, and be able to implement sound management practices and to relate effectively with seasoned managers and top level. In addition, participants will become result oriented and pro-active leader implementing continuous improvement supported by lifelong self-education.