Andre Daoud

Chief Executive Officer, Medcare

Andre Daoud

“Medcare is a very strong premium brand that is easily expandable and as we continue to provide high-quality and patient-centric healthcare, expansion will always be part of our future plans”

With more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare field, Andre Daoud has been appointed as the new CEO for Medcare Group. “Hospitals” magazine had  the chance to meet with Mr. Daoud to discuss  the future of Medcare and his role on how to implement new strategies for further business growth and development. Also, how his passion in delivering the highest standard in patient care will lead to a world-class healthcare delivery. 

You have extensive experience spanning over 15 years in the healthcare field, can you please give us an overview about your professional life? How will your expertise benefit Medcare?

Prior to being part of the healthcare sector, I had the chance to work in various fields such as e-commerce, finance and digital solutions. I shifted to the healthcare industry specifically in the insurance field 15 years ago with a focus on technical, operations, strategy and business development.

I worked in the public and private sectors delivering healthcare solutions in various countries at different levels ranging from strategic partnerships, international patient services to establishing national healthcare schemes. A major milestone was working with Dubai Heath Authority on creating, implementing and managing the Dubai National Health Scheme “Saada” and enabling, for the first time in the region, the introduction of the national ID as a primary means of accessing healthcare.  My professional journey has been quite an exciting one so far, filled with learnings and discovery of the complex healthcare ecosystem from its different perspectives. Having combined all this experience, I come to put it into practice from the side of healthcare providers. 

This experience gives me a great edge and enables me to create a different experience for the Medcare patient, one that is quite unique, seamless and digitally driven. Along with the organization’s vision which primarily focuses on clinical excellence and patient safety, I am confident I will be able to further digitalize the patient experience and create a sustainable model that enables the highest possible standards of care delivery to patients who need it.

You have recently taken the role of Group CEO at Medcare, what are the steps you are taking to further the strategic planning for the Group?

In my current capacity, I bring to Medcare an integrated cultural understanding and a strong digital focus with the aim of enhancing customer experience and supporting operational efficiency. This includes managing day-to-day operations, working with a superb team of healthcare professionals to deliver optimum patient care support across a number of medical practices. Innovation is a core component of our daily activities, and we continue to leverage the power of digital and health technologies to streamline our operations. 

What are the initiatives you will be putting in place to provide premium healthcare of international standards in the UAE?

Quality healthcare is more than just a popular phrase in our Medcare culture. We are committed to providing high-quality, personalized medical care to every patient no matter what their medical need is. Quality in healthcare means providing the care the patient needs when the patient needs it, in a safe and effective manner. Quality healthcare also means engaging and involving the patient, so he takes ownership in preventive care and in the treatment of diagnosed conditions. We find it to be a collaborative effort that involves the patient, the physician, the patient’s family, and the community as a whole.

Medcare is a premium healthcare network, and part of the wider Aster DM Healthcare, a global healthcare group with 317 medical establishments across 9 countries, including the GCC, India and Africa. Our aim at Medcare is to leverage international medical practices across a number of areas that add value to the overall care delivery process. We have been successful in bringing an exceptional multi-cultural, multi-lingual team of doctors who have received extensive training from some of the top medical institutes in the United States, United Kingdom, India, France, Greece, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.

How many hospitals and medical centres does Medcare operate? Do you have any expansion plans in the future?

We have three multi-specialty hospitals, Medcare Hospital Safa Park Dubai and Medcare Hospital Sharjah, one facility that is exclusively for women and children and another hospital that is uniquely dedicated for orthopedics and spine care. 

Under the Medcare brand, we operate three specialty centers and 12 multi-specialty centers in key locations across Dubai and Sharjah.

Medcare is a very strong premium brand that is easily expandable and as we continue to provide high-quality and patient-centric healthcare, expansion will always be part of our future plans. This will help us further provide what is expected from us as an organization that strives to meet the future healthcare needs in the best way possible and provide the most advanced possible care to our patients.

Medcare is a major healthcare provider in the UAE. What are the specialties that you pride yourself on offering? How do you evaluate the quality of these specialties?

Medcare is a group of multi-specialty facilities, offering an extensive range of healthcare that aims to add more value to patients across the UAE. Some of the specialties we treat include cardiology, orthopedics, general and specialized surgery, dentistry, emergency, gastroenterology, neonatology, audiology, endocrinology, hematology, neurosurgery, pediatrics, urology, pulmonology, obstetrics and gynecology and many more. 

Medcare Orthopedic & Spine Hospital one of the most technologically advanced facilities of its kind in the UAE. The world-class team of doctors provides specialized, protocol-based care for bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, spine, spinal cord and feet, in both adults and children. Our doctors are capable of handling the most complicated cases, including orthopedic and spine trauma. In addition, the hospital has a full-fledged physiotherapy and rehab wing that provides high-quality inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation services. Medcare Women & Children Hospital is an exclusive haven for women and children where they receive exceptional care from experts in pediatric and women’s healthcare, in a modern and state-of-the-art facility that offers a wide range of facilities including obstetrics, gynecology, plastic surgery, breast surgery, neonatal, dermatology and other care services under the same roof. The aim is to deliver a holistic medical service to patients across the UAE through dedicated hospitals and multi-specialty clinics.

Improving patient care has become a priority for all healthcare providers with the overall objective of achieving a high degree of patient satisfaction. What are the strategic steps you are planning to implement to achieve this? Doctors credentials? Advanced technology?

Patients are at the core of what we do. Medical excellence is what defines Medcare’s day-to-day operations. Our team of 300 plus expert doctors ensures great care and personalized attention, with the support of our very efficient team of nurses and ancillary staff.

Medcare’s doctors take time to listen to patients, understand their medical problems holistically and recommend the best way forward. Multidisciplinary in approach, they provide optimal, guideline-based treatment to patients, with the support of trained nurses, dieticians, rehabilitation therapists and technologists.

Being one of the largest providers of healthcare, what is the added value of Medcare to the healthcare industry in the UAE?  

In today’s world, technology plays an important role in every industry as well as in our personal lives. Out of all the industries that technology plays a crucial role in, healthcare is definitely one of the most important. This merger is responsible for improving and saving countless lives all around the world.

Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world and is a key contributor to the UAE economy. The UAE’s healthcare market is expected to reach Dh71.5 billion in 2020 at an average annual growth rate of 12.7 per cent from 2015.

We have a role to play in advancing the healthcare field in the UAE, and medical technology will help us sustain health.

Moreover, Medcare is a brand that strives to create a new benchmark in healthcare delivery in the UAE, with every new project it comes up with. To begin with, we’ve made sure that our hospitals don’t look like hospitals. Designed with a keen eye for detail, our patient-care spaces are designed to create an ambience that is conducive to healing. 

Our facilities are world-class in every sense of the word as they combine the best of talent, technology, facilities and care. We have 19 establishments under Medcare right now, with a very strong team of 300 plus doctors. We are passionate about the discovery and development of innovative methods to support patients’ clinical outcomes.

How do you see the healthcare industry evolving in light of the government support in the UAE? How did Medcare benefit from this support?

The U.A.E. healthcare sector is expanding rapidly to meet both the evolving needs of a growing population and the nation’s ambition to become a regional medical tourism hub. This rapid expansion is challenging the ability of the UAE to both provide adequate medical personnel and contain costs. However, the government has adopted a series of long-term initiatives, above all Vision 2021, to address these challenges and guide the sustainable growth of this sector.

Vision 2021 emphasizes the importance of preventive medicine and seeks to reduce cancer and lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases to ensure a longer, healthy life. In addition to adopting ambitious plans to revamp and drive better healthcare infrastructures.  We remain committed to maintaining a strong growth trajectory in the region by introducing innovative initiatives that cater to serving patients and achieving better treatment outcomes.

In your opinion, how is technology contributing to a better patient journey? Do you foresee artificial intelligence taking over the role of doctors in the future? And to what extent?

The healthcare industry, both across the MENA region and around the world, is experiencing new periods of change that includes disruption and rapid innovation that are driven primarily by the adoption of technology, which has become, as we have witnessed, an integral component in shaping the healthcare industry.

Advancements in technology are transforming the entire healthcare industry. From wearable tracking devices to patient-centered care modules to increased data security are all examples of how the healthcare sector is embracing technology to deliver optimum results to patients. 

There is a clear understanding that AI enhances our general progress and performance on multiple levels. Its transformative nature means that it will help increase collaboration and drive training programs. 

The healthcare industry as a whole is adopting integrated approaches that place patients at the heart of their initiatives and services, who now have far more access to data that is used to finding the right care modules tailored to their needs and overall conditions.  There is still a growing need for intelligent solutions to help address major challenges in improving outcomes, simplifying data and insights gathering, lowering the cost of healthcare delivery. The widespread use of technology is also changing the way healthcare professionals provide care and how patients can connect with the industry.