“The Arab Hospitals Federation constitutes an ideal platform for exchanging ideas, policies and services in the health sector”
Alice Yammine Boueiz, the Chief Executive Officer of the Arab Hospitals Federation has a demonstrated history of working in health systems & Policies, health industry, and executing Arab Renowned Healthcare activities & projects. Well known leader in healthcare strategies, Initiatives and collaboration that has successfully transformed, automated, and optimized the Quality and sustainability of Arab Healthcare sector.
Recently recognized as the Influential woman of the year in Healthcare strategy and collaboration and one of the most Talented Female Healthcare Leaders in Arab Countries. Also she received the National Order merit from the Republic of Lebanon for her great efforts in enhancing the Healthcare sector and building bridges, as well opening dialogue between all Arab countries to advance Health. Well-known as one of the dedicated and esteemed women leaders who is committed to lead the change to the Healthcare sector. The Arab Hospital Magazine had this interview with her about the Journey, activities and Strategic plan of the Arab Hospitals Federation.
What is the reason behind the success of AHF Journey?
The Arab Hospitals Federation has achieved great success in the past years, especially during the period of the Covid – 19 pandemic, during which it proved its presence on the Arab health scene and tried with all its resources to help health institutions and hospital workers to overcome the crisis through initiatives, training and development of the Arab Healthcare workers.
Its Executive Council was also revamped with a group of experts in various fields, whether in digital health, sustainability, governance, leadership, quality, and others. These experts developed a road map and strategic plan for the next three years, which was remarkable, and gained appreciation from decision makers in the Arab health sector.
The objectives of the Federation Journey were clear, in line with the current and future challenges experienced by the Arab Healthcare sector and in order to achieve its agenda and goals, it worked to strengthen partnerships with concerned parties such as the League of Arab States, the Council of Arab Ministers of Health and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. In addition to its robust partnership with Health authorities in many countries, such as Hamad Medical Corporation in the State of Qatar, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the General Healthcare Authority in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and other associations and Health organizations in different countries.
You mentioned that the Executive council of the federation has drawn up a three-year strategic plan. Can we know what are its points and what is achieved from them?
“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can achieve it now.” This was followed in the Executive Council’s plan, as it has set a framework for drawing the future of the Arab healthcare sector while enhancing the vital role of hospitals and concerned sectors to advance health in Arab countries.
Today, the Arab Hospitals Federation constitutes an ideal platform for exchanging ideas, policies and services in the health sector and provides education for health workers. It is a source of information on health care issues and trends, as its role is to assist Arab health organizations to work towards improving the level of services they provide to patients.
Through the vision of the Executive Council, a new plan has been developed for the next three years to help members, Healthcare facilities, Healthcare workers and service providers to advance health in the Arab countries through good governance, strong leadership and Excellence in health care. The Strategic plan aimed to help health institutions improve their performance by building capacities through a wide range of programs and plans that will lead to better healthcare services.
It also strengthened dialogue with Arab ministries of health and organizations to develop policies, strategies, health declarations and useful initiatives on many topics such as announcing a disaster and emergency preparedness plan, developing an Arab strategy for digital health, publishing a new design approach and concept for healthcare facilities in a post-Covid world, launching a Healthcare sustainability paper, Promoting the Gold initiative certificate project and launching the climate challenge initiative.
The plan also highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships and establishing several bodies and councils such as the AHF Consulting Board that includes well-known experts to provide their services to the Arab health sector in various topics, establishing a platform for executives in health institutions to exchange views and face challenges together, and finally organizing multiple forums in different Arab countries to enhance interaction with the Arab health sector and encourage the Arab Health Complementarity…
Regarding the subject of organizing multiple forums in different countries, can you tell us about the twenty-fourth forum of the Federation?
The Federation is known by its famous and reputable platform that brings together health ministers, decision makers, key players and senior executives from the healthcare sector during its annual forum to discuss and exchange visions, approaches and opportunities that lead health sector into the future, and it will announce very soon the date and place of the forum this year.
Indeed, we have begun to work on setting up a list of countries, and the AHF Governing & Executive Councils will meet soon to decide and announce the place and options, as we have more than one request and suggestions in different countries.
Returning to healthcare sustainability subject, can you tell us about the Arab Center for Healthcare Sustainability (ACHS) that the federation is working on?
In the context of achieving the Federation’s strategic plan, we launched the Arab Center for Healthcare Sustainability with the aim of leading the healthcare sector towards sustainability and facing the challenges of climate change today and in the future.
Many Arab heads of state have expressed great interest in contributing to confronting climate change through their commitment to reducing carbon emissions and supporting clean and renewable energy initiatives and projects. Research has shown that the health sector contributes to the global climate crisis, and hospitals and healthcare services must play a dynamic role in leading healthcare towards sustainability.
The aim of this center is to help healthcare institutions, companies, universities, researchers and others to meet and discuss challenges and find opportunities for collaboration in achieving sustainability of the healthcare sector.
Among the strategic plans for this center are:
- Develop & set assessment Sustainability tools to evaluate the ability of each healthcare institution to be a green, smart and safe hospital.
- Disseminate universal protocols and guidelines related to Green Buildings principles, Energy efficiency and renewable energy uses, waste management, water conservation and treatment.
- Ensure high authority commitment for healthcare sustainability through relevant legislation, rules, regulations and resources.
- Improve capacity building and resources through continuous trainings and educational programs on Sustainability in healthcare for different categories of health care providers and other specialties working in healthcare facilities.
- Provide consultancy to interested facilities about the various aspects targeted in the healthcare sustainability.
- Support Leadership for sustainable hospitals in creating long-term organizational culture change; realizing widespread hospital worker and community engagement and fostering public policy that promotes environmental health.
- Equip healthcare leaders to have information, tools and skills.
The Federation’s projects are really many and rich, and lately the Arab health sector was buzzing with the Gold Initiative Certificate that aimed to face the challenge of the climate change, whose results was launched and distributed last month in Cairo.
What about this initiative, and is there a new initiative that the federation will launch soon?
Indeed, the Federation is very proud of this initiative, as it was launched simultaneously with the COP27 that was held in Sharm El-Sheikh under the theme of: “The Arab Healthcare Climate Change Challenge Champion “. 47 hospitals and pioneering healthcare institutions from 9 Arab countries participated in this project. Applications were submitted and reviewed by a high caliber jury members leading to 10 winners in various categories honored during a prestigious Award ceremony in Cairo. This third Edition of the Gold Initiative Certificate was well appreciated by all Arab health sectors.
Soon, and immediately after the month of Ramadan, we will launch the fourth Gold Initiative Certificate for Health Transformation and Digital Health, hoping that it will recruit the largest number of participations from Arab hospitals in order to contribute to highlight Excellence in this sector.
A final word, and we know that you still have many initiatives, plans and projects that will contribute to improve the Arab health sector?
It is true that there is more, we have not yet talked about the “AHF Executive Circle”, which is an elite platform where Top Healthcare executives from around the Arab Countries can share information and best practices, participate in discussions, network, learn, educate and address challenges with their peers. The first meeting was held a month ago in Cairo and we will organize one soon due to the great success and the need for dialogue to face the challenges and problems that these executives are experiencing.
Our journey has become a necessity for the Arab health sector, and we are really proud of everything we have built. We will improve more and more our projects, work and partnerships. We will sign soon a Memorandum of collaboration between the Federation and the World Health Organization to strengthen Excellence and improve performance in the Arab hospitals. Here, I will conclude by thanking all our partners, without whom we would not have reached where we are, including Mr. Simon Chammas, General Manager of the Arab Hospital Magazine, the media partner of the Federation.
