Across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, healthcare professionals have recently faced unprecedented challenges in the continuous provision of diagnostic and treatment services.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced the industry’s decision-makers to rethink staffing, supply chains and business models in the name of employee and patient safety.
For Becton, Dickinson, and Company (more commonly known as BD) – an American multinational specialising in the manufacture and sale of medical devices, instrument systems and chemical reagents – the region rose aptly to the challenge, but lessons learned over the past year indicate room for optimisation.
Maher El Hassan, vice-president and general manager for BD Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey, highlights the need for holistic reformation in the region’s healthcare system while keeping patient safety and care to the fore.
“The healthcare system in the region was put to the test during this crisis,” he said.
“The growth in the scope of work on all fronts left healthcare personnel short-staffed and overwhelmed. The situation highlighted the need for a highly innovative, collaborative, and relentless strategy to combat the pandemic’s impacts.”
El Hassan believes the pandemic raised awareness in the region regarding healthcare issues and elevated its priority among patients and policymakers.
“Healthcare is at the heart of the region and a crucial pillar of its growth,” he said. “Leaders and governments in the region are doing everything they can to change policies and institutional arrangements to improve assistance for frontline workers and patients in need of care.”
BD believes that medtech will play a vital role in regional governments’ efforts to sustain and improve healthcare, given its proven ability to lighten workloads and reduce the incidence of medication errors.
“Investment in medtech is the need of the hour and the region will reap great benefits from it in the short and long run,” he said. “After all, a thriving economy is built on a healthy population.”
Maher El Hassan, vice-president and general manager for BD Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey
BD’s solutions are designed around safety and the enrichment of the healthcare worker and patient experience. According to El Hassan, one estimate warns that as many as 10 percent of patients are harmed by unsafe care. And other research shows that anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of medical errors are preventable with the adoption of medtech solutions.
“We position patient safety at the helm of everything that we do and strive hard to enhance its posture in the region,” El Hassan said.
“Beyond patient harm and associated cost, patient safety events impact the image and reputation of healthcare institutions and professionals. There is a need to develop a culture of safety, in the implementation of evidence-based practice interventions, and communication and collaboration across departments.”
BD offers a range of integrated analytics solutions that offer multiple insights for improving safety, from identifying common IV programming errors to managing inventories to ensure clinicians always have access to required supplies. Analytics can also uncover trends in preventable adverse drug events, identify high-risk medical practices, and spot opportunities to educate staff and align clinical practices.
BD also focuses on improving diagnostic accuracy and efficiency to ensure optimal treatment paths. Additionally, the company has developed tools for scientists to research single-cell multi-omics at the depth of gene expression and protein expression, which leads to higher standards in diagnosis.
“BD aims to have a holistic approach regarding medtech in the MENA region, as it has been doing in other parts of the world,” El Hassan explained.
“We continue to drive innovation, improve industry-leading solutions, and upskill medical professionals. BD successfully practices standardisation processes, full traceability, automation, and closed-loop medication management that can help prevent medication errors. Some of these challenges have been met by sustaining a culture of safety, in the implementation of evidence-based practice interventions, and by enhancing communication and collaboration.”
BD will engage with distributors and partners to provide training across the region on medtech
BD recently opened its Centre for Safety and Clinical Excellence (CSCE) in Dubai, only the second such site in the world after the company’s long-running CSCE in San Diego, CA. The facility is designed to serve the regional healthcare sector by demonstrating the potential of medtech and providing training across areas such as medication management, parenteral drug delivery, diagnostics, and clinical research.
BD also recently launched a patient-safety campaign that uses a three-pronged approach to spread awareness regarding patient safety. First, the company will educate healthcare professionals (HCPs) on how medtech can reduce medical errors, prevent infections, and increase diagnostics accuracy.
Second, BD will engage with distributors and partners to provide training across the region on medtech and empower providers to nurture cultures of patient safety and improved outcomes. And third, the campaign will include the delivery of content across digital channels, including testimonials and personal stories, about the need for better patient care.
“Whether it is based on antimicrobial, infection prevention and diagnostics, or implementation of a sepsis bundle to lower the risk of mortality, BD has supported every major source of reducing tension and errors for clinicians,” El Hassan said.
“Ultimately, BD innovations and initiatives try to deliver affordable, durable and error-free MedTech solutions that all stakeholders can benefit from.”
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