I am a qualified healthcare professional with over 18 years of experience in the local and regional healthcare industry. My areas of expertise include healthcare strategy, market analysis (demand, supply and gap analysis), competitive positioning, hospital operations and service line development, national healthcare policy & regulatory frameworks, and business development activities.
Prior to transitioning to healthcare consulting in 2015, I have worked for major healthcare provider settings in the UAE, whereby I have contributed to the development and implementation of new medical & clinical programmes to complement the growth of those healthcare organizations.,
I have joined GE Healthcare Partners in October 2018 as a Senior Healthcare Consultant. I am currently engaged in a nation-wide process improvement project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which includes both hospitals and primary healthcare centres. Prior to this, I took part in a 6-months change management implementation programme, whereby we have assessed and documented hospitals readiness to change in preparation for a unified hospital Electronic Health Record (HER) information system (HIS) implementation across the regions in KSA public hospitals.
In my capacity, I have also worked with my colleagues on a large-scale assignment to help short list, select and onboard international hospital operators for a public hospital in one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Other healthcare consulting duties include:
For me, this MBA was one of the very few specialized programmes that offered international study locations across Europe, North America and Asia and with strong international partners. The progamme has an established faculty and a diverse cohort of participants, thus ensuring a truly international exposure and experience. It’s also accredited by International accrediting bodies in Europe, something that is somehow linked to quality, in my opinion.
Following my graduation in 2014, the hospital I worked for tasked me with the management of all the hospital’s business development activities as well as the clinical operations for one of our clinics in Dubai. A year later, I explored a new aspect of healthcare and that was “healthcare consulting” by joining a Swiss German Healthcare Consulting firm in Abu Dhabi as a Healthcare Strategy Consultant, a position I held from June 2015 till October 2018.
To what extent did the MBA IHM prepare you for the challenges of your current job? Which knowledge or skills have been especially useful?
The MBA –IHM has broadened my horizons and enhanced my awareness of international healthcare systems, the different trends, practices, issues and their implications on management decisions. I have built the needed confidence to make sound practical business decisions while dealing with shareholders, stakeholders and colleagues. The wealth of knowledge gained throughout the course of studies will definitely help me master not only the challenges related to my current job, but also all other challenges that may arise in a rapidly changing competitive healthcare landscape.
Which knowledge or skills have been especially useful?
The live case studies, the site visits to different hospitals and organisations, the first-hand stories and lessons, the continuous debate and discussions with international faculty and colleagues, and the focused group studies have all helped me broaden my knowledge about:
This MBA degree helped me strengthen my knowledge about applied techniques in financial controlling and managerial accounting. It has also enhanced my Strategic Planning and Project Management Skills.
How would you characterize the course of your career so far?
The logical career progression for me was to carry on within the healthcare sector, after acquiring additional management qualifications, and perhaps move within business positions till I would ultimately manage a hospital/ group of hospitals.
However, after completing my MBA-IHM course, I have learned to think strategically, as a businesswoman and not just as a mere healthcare provider of services. This course has taken me beyond the classical way of thinking, where I had earlier envisaged myself as a healthcare professional-who can only run hospital operations.
Following my graduation in 2014, I had seriously considered moving away from a typical hospital practice role to take up consultancy roles. By June of 2015, I made the decision and started my first healthcare consulting role with ICME International AG. After 3.5 years, I have joined GE Healthcare Partners where I am currently being exposed to more opportunities and challenges available in the local, regional and international healthcare markets, we are currently involved in.
What’s your favourite memory of your time with the MBA IHM?
Our graduation day was my favourite memory, and a very special moment throughout the course of my studies. That day marked an end to an era, a long path to success where I finally found a light at the end of the tunnel, whereby after 20 months of hard work, my colleagues and I were finally called into the stage as “Graduates of the Class 2014”. I kept in touch with some of the graduates, and we managed to meet when we travel to each other’s countries.