GE Healthcare to focus on emerging healthcare trends at second annual Middle East Media Summit

Jun 2, 2008 (Al-Bawaba via COMTEX) -- GE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- GE Healthcare to focus on emerging healthcare trends at second annual Middle East Media Summit - Summit to provide insights into latest advances in healthcare technology- Leading professionals to debate impact of "Early Health" model of care over treating late stage chronic diseases As part of GE Healthcare's ongoing commitment to raising healthcare standards in the region, the US$17 billion healthcare business of global technology, media and financial services major General Electric Company (GE), is hosting its second annual regional media summit on June 19, 2008, in Dubai.

The aim of this year's Middle East Media Summit is to further assist in promoting healthcare knowledge across the region. Over 50 delegates comprising leading medical professionals and media representatives will join GE Healthcare to discuss key trends, opportunities and developments in an interactive forum.

Today, the region faces a number of significant and serious healthcare challenges: life expectancy lags behind developed countries, the population is both increasing and ageing, and its citizens suffer some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world. The cost of treatment for cardiovascular disease alone is set to increase significantly over the next twenty years. These healthcare challenges are not only affecting the current reality of healthcare across the region, but it is also fast-changing the outlook and demand, region-wide.

GE's "Healthcare Re-imagined" vision promotes the "Early Health" model of care - helping clinicians re-imagine new ways to predict, diagnose, inform and treat disease, so their patients can live their lives to the fullest. This is the company's focused response to the projected rise in healthcare costs in the GCC region from US$12 billion today to US$60 billion by 2025*.

This year's summit will address some of the key healthcare challenges facing the region focusing on the shifting trends in healthcare delivery as it relates to the "Early Health" model of care. The summit will include presentations, case studies and lively debates on recent advances in healthcare in the region, specifically in the fields of Cardiology, Oncology, and IT and will provide insights into the future of healthcare in the region. Richard di Benedetto, President and CEO, GE Healthcare, International - Eastern and African Growth Markets (EAGM), said: "Following the success of last year's summit, which placed the spotlight on regional healthcare needs, this year's collaborative initiative aims to further raise awareness around the importance of "Early Health", leveraging an outstanding line-up of regional luminaries, who will share with us their health experiences and expertise."

He added: "A key concern for this region is the rise in healthcare costs, Once again, this puts the spotlight on the need for an "Early Health" model of care. Shifting resources to "Early Health" and developing technologies that allow healthcare providers to diagnose disease at the earliest possible stage, when there can be many treatment options, is better medicine. It also makes simple economic sense." Developments in healthcare technology are being rapidly harnessed throughout the region to improve the general level of healthcare delivery. This is particularly relevant in addressing certain medical conditions that display a higher incidence regionally. Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions, and obesity, stress and smoking-related illnesses are on the rise. This year's Middle East Media Summit aims to address these issues and discuss the importance of earlier detection of diseases thereby helping to potentially reduce costs and enable many more treatment options, which ultimately benefits the patient. (C) 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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