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The National
5 days ago
- General
- The National
Abu Dhabi Awards celebrates 20 years honouring community spirit
The Abu Dhabi Awards have recognised more than 100 people making a difference in the emirate over the past two decades and nominations are now open for the 12th cycle. Among those already recognised are a pioneering radiologist and a champion for the disabled. Here, The National takes a look at previous winners, why they were put forward by their communities and what it will take for the next batch of nominees to be among the winners. Dr Essam El Shammaa When the UAE's Dr Essam El Shammaa returned to Abu Dhabi in 1976, he came on unpaid leave from Great Ormond Street and the Royal Free Hospital in London. He had no plans to stay for long and wanted to remain in the UK but he soon "fell in love with the people" in the Emirates, he told The National. His early work with ultrasound, especially in detecting a baby's gender, sparked controversy at the time but a conversation with UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, reassured him that he had the country's full support. One of his early breakthroughs came during a routine ultrasound when he accidentally dropped a metal tool and saw the foetus flinch. 'I called my colleagues and said, 'babies can hear',' he said. 'They laughed. So I showed them. I dropped different tools and each time, the baby flinched.' His message today is as direct as ever: 'Don't upset your wife. Don't yell at her. The baby can hear you. And if you upset her, her body produces more adrenalin – that baby is going to be born hating you for upsetting their mother.' He was also the first to advocate husbands being allowed into Corniche Hospital, which at the time was restricted to women only. 'Fathers would have a baby, see them from afar, but never develop that connection,' he said. 'But if they're there from the first ultrasound, from the very beginning, they form stronger bonds.' He remains an adviser at the hospital with the imaging department where he first worked. He was recognised with an Abu Dhabi Award in 2021. Theban Al Mheiri Theban Al Mheiri was 23 when the car taking him to the airport at the start of a journey that would see him travel to the US for an English language course, crashed. 'When I woke up, I thought I was in the afterlife,' he recalled. 'Everyone around me was wearing masks. For a moment, I thought I could be in heaven or hell. I was terrified.' Within seconds, he realised he was in a hospital. And then came the harder truth: he had lost movement in both legs. Mr Al Mheiri slipped into a period of deep depression. He mourned not only the use of his legs, but the version of his life that no longer existed – the one that was heading abroad, filled with possibility. But over time, that sorrow transformed into resolve. 'There's no reason to be upset forever,' he said. 'You have to find your purpose and help others find theirs, too.' And that's exactly what he did – Mr Al Mheiri went on to become one of the UAE's most dedicated advocates for the disabled. Over the past three decades, he has helped thousands navigate the emotional, physical and societal challenges of living with a disability. Mr Al Mheiri's work has helped bring attention to the simplest yet most profound daily struggles – such as the difficulty of using a toilet or navigating inaccessible public spaces. 'I don't want people to put themselves in our shoes,' he said. 'I want them to understand that these challenges are real. We just need time and support to overcome them." His message is simple but deeply felt: "Never give up.' He was recognised with an Abu Dhabi Award in 2017. The organisers 'The awards recognise people who unite and inspire through their actions,' says Mahra Al Shamsi of the organising committee. 'They embody unity, compassion and giving.' Every year brings new stories, from medical pioneers to environmental champions to disability rights advocates. 'We're not limited by nationality,' adds Amal Al Ameri. 'These values; goodness, selflessness, helping others, are universal.' What are the awards? Nominations for this year's Abu Dhabi Awards are now open and anyone, from children to seniors, can submit a hero on the official website, including a special form for younger nominators. Held under the patronage of President Sheikh Mohamed, the awards recognise those who have shown exceptional dedication and commitment to serving the country. Eligible candidates are: Citizens, residents, or visitors whose good deeds have benefited the UAE. People whose international contributions reflect positively on the Emirates. Individuals whose voluntary work, advocacy, or public service made a lasting impact. Once submitted, nominations go through a research and review phase where a team evaluates each candidate's impact. Finalists are then reviewed by a panel of judges, who make the final recommendations. The recipients will be honoured during a special ceremony, where President Sheikh Mohamed personally awards each winner the Abu Dhabi Medal. The date for this ceremony is yet to be confirmed.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Menopause: Why Women Shouldn't Suffer In Silence
Martha puts menopause in the spotlight today. FOX News contributor and board-certified radiologist, Dr. Nicole Saphier, explains the false narrative surrounding treatments for menopause, including the risks of hormone replacement therapy, and why women have an outdated concept of proper treatments. Dr. Saphier takes a deeper dive into the commonly asked questions about breast cancer prevention and menopause, explaining why women shouldn't suffer in silence but rather advocate for their health and happiness throughout the aging process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
RNZ News
21-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Man dies after scalp lesion missed during scan delays terminal skin cancer diagnosis
The radiologist who did not report the scalp lesion failed to meet the level of care expected of a health practitioner, Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell says. Photo: Gorodenkoff Productions OU / 123RF A man died after a terminal skin cancer diagnosis was delayed due to a scalp lesion being missed during a scan. Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell found the radiologist, who conducted an MRI scan on the man for an unrelated issue but did not report on a noticeable scalp lesion, failed to meet the level of care expected of a health practitioner. The man developed a cyst on the back of his head in 2019 and went to a public hospital where he was treated and discharged, Dr Caldwell said. An initial referral for further assessment was declined and a further referral was triaged as routine, with the man told the wait time could be six months. In January 2020, he underwent an MRI for hearing loss, unrelated to the cyst, and a mass seen on the scan was not reported. The man visited his GP and the hospital again the following month as the cyst was painful and increasing in size but he was treated and discharged with no further follow up. He was reviewed by the ear, nose and throat service in March 2020 for hearing loss and a biopsy was taken for a suspected tumour on his scalp, which was confirmed to be a very rare skin cancer by a scan two weeks later. An amendment was then made to the initial MRI report by another radiologist. It identified a soft tissue mass measuring 4.8 x 2.7 centimetres on the left of the scalp extending from the skin surface to the bone, that a biopsy had identified as skin cancer. The radiologist who performed the MRI scan said he regretted he had not identified the lesion when he reviewed the brain MRI, which he had been able to identify retrospectively. The man had surgery to remove the lesion in April 2020, with further surgery in July 2020 and was then told his condition was terminal. He made a complaint to the commissioner in 2021. Independent clinical advice provided by neuroradiologist Dr Allan Thomas found the standard of the reporting of the MRI scan "was grossly below the standard expected" of a radiologist. Dr Thomas said while attention was focused on the temporal bones and hearing neural pathways for this referral, he expected a lesion of such size to at least be mentioned with appropriate clinical follow-up action recommended. The radiologist had since reflected on the case and had adjusted his reporting processes as a result. Dr Thomas found the provider was reasonable and thorough in its response when it learnt a significant miss had occurred, and it immediately sought to have the study appropriately reported, information added and the relevant clinical teams informed. Errors occurred in radiology reporting for a number of reasons, but training and adhering to processes helped to avoid them, Dr Thomas said. The radiologist told the Health and Disability Commissioner he deeply regretted his oversight, which contributed to the missed diagnosis, and accepted the focus of his reporting of the MRI scan was too narrow, but he did not consider it to be a severe departure from the standard of care. He was now extra vigilant about assessing the skin and all areas of his practice. He had adjusted his reporting to include reviewing the skin on the scalp and surrounding tissue as the final part of his MRI brain reporting process. The radiologist said he no longer undertook out-of-hours reporting when his attention could be reduced. He said he was committed to learning from the experience to ensure the same mistake was not repeated in the future. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
New York Times
19-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Is It Fair for a Doctor's Mom to Get Faster Emergency-Room Care?
My partner recently took a bad fall on some concrete steps and got a large gash on her head. Fortunately, her son — a prominent cardiologist at a local hospital — was present. He drove past two closer hospitals to reach the one where he is on staff. The E.R. was basically standing room only, but she was ushered into a private room and received immediate attention, as well as staples and other treatments. A scan, too, was provided right away, with a prompt reading from a radiologist. What would probably have been a five-hour ordeal for most took less than 70 minutes. Was this special treatment ethical? One religious leader I asked said yes, arguing that such perks are a legitimate reward for his work. Another said no, insisting that no one should have to wait longer because others receive V.I.P. priority. Thoughts? — Name Withheld From the Ethicist: Here's a classic example of how our special responsibilities to loved ones can come into tension with the more general obligations we owe to others. Ideally, doctors — and indeed all of us — should support triage systems in which patients are cared for strictly according to medical urgency, not personal connections or status. That's simple fairness. Yet, in ways the philosopher Bernard Williams explored, our moral obligations are also shaped by our relationships. If, confronted with two drowning people — one your spouse, one a stranger — you paused to deliberate whether it was defensible to save your spouse, you may, in Williams's famous words, have had 'one thought too many.' Sometimes morality not only permits but requires us to give priority to those dearest to us. In this case, the doctor was making decisions not as a hospital official but as a son. Taking his mother to be his special concern, he understandably pushed for her to be seen quickly. In these circumstances, simply standing by might seem cold, a dereliction of filial duty. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
From Strategy To Implementation: Leveraging Unstructured Health Data
Dr. Tim O'Connell is a practicing radiologist and the founder and CEO of emtelligent, a developer of clinical-grade AI software. The healthcare industry is experiencing a data transformation that began with the 2009 HITECH Act and has since gained momentum through initiatives like the 21st Century Cures Act and CMS's Promoting Interoperability Program. These policies have shifted the focus from electronic health record (EHR) adoption to value-based care, emphasizing interoperability, data sharing and patient access. By 2020, U.S. healthcare data had reached 2,314 exabytes—15 times more than in 2013—thanks to connected devices and remote monitoring. This surge has turned data into a critical asset, with unstructured clinical data offering particularly untapped value. Until recently, this data could only be accessed via labor-intensive manual review. Organizations seeking to unlock this critical 'last mile' of clinical data and put it to work across multiple use cases face numerous considerations and pitfalls along the way. In my experience working with clients across healthcare industry sectors, I have identified the emergence of a maturity curve for organizations as they move toward the utilization of unstructured clinical data. This curve includes the following stages: 1. Opportunity: Realizing there is valuable data hiding within unstructured clinical records that can be extracted and analyzed to improve care, increase efficiency and inform research. 2. Competency: Understanding that advanced tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) hold the key to unlocking unstructured data at scale, readying it for insights and business processes. 3. Viability: Identifying and defining the value dimensions and key performance indicators (KPIs) that unstructured data can impact, such as reducing time to diagnosis, identifying gaps in care or streamlining reimbursement, that are aligned with business and clinical objectives. 4. Feasibility: Building and operationalizing a scalable data pipeline that can rapidly and efficiently process high volumes of unstructured data across diverse clinical sources and formats. 5. Extensibility: Scaling proven use cases across the enterprise and embedding unstructured data analysis into core workflows, strategic initiatives and population health efforts. This article focuses on the first two stages: identifying the opportunity and understanding enabling technologies. Buried Treasure An estimated 80% of clinical data is unstructured. Even documents using structured formats like C-CDA often include vast narrative content—especially for patients with complex conditions. Much of this critical information remains invisible to conventional analytics. Keyword search tools, still common in healthcare, lack contextual understanding. They often miss key insights or provide irrelevant results because they can't interpret negation, chronology or relationships between concepts. Without sophisticated tools, unstructured data is underused—resulting in missed clinical context, risk miscalculations and missed research opportunities. Enabling Intelligent Data Access At Scale Advanced technologies like AI and NLP are rapidly transforming how healthcare organizations engage with unstructured data—replacing manual review processes with intelligent automation that is faster, more scalable and more accurate. And this isn't just an opinion; peer-reviewed studies back it up. A 2024 review of how wider healthcare is implementing NLP and AI found that 81% of systems were using NLP to extract clinical data from EHRs. That's a big deal because it means faster access to important information across workflows. And in a study of data from more than 4,000 stroke patients admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital, NLP accurately pulled stroke severity scores from doctors' notes—matching expert reviews more than 92% of the time and removing the need for manual chart review. It's a powerful example of how this technology can drive real impact at scale. Unlike traditional search tools that rely on static keyword matching, these advanced systems understand the context, semantics and structure of language. They recognize synonyms, interpret negation (e.g., 'no history of diabetes'), differentiate between historical and current conditions and extract relationships between clinical concepts (e.g., linking a symptom to a diagnosis or a medication to a specific condition). This deeper understanding enables them to surface more relevant and actionable insights while minimizing false positives and irrelevant matches. These technologies also eliminate the need for time-consuming manual chart review, freeing up clinicians, analysts and administrative teams to focus on higher-value tasks. Rather than reading through hundreds of pages of clinical notes, users can instantly extract structured summaries, quality measures, risk indicators and cohort-specific criteria. By transforming narrative data into structured, searchable insights, AI and NLP enable a wide range of use cases: • Supporting real-time clinical decision-making • Powering predictive analytics for earlier interventions • Identifying gaps in care for population health management • Accelerating patient recruitment for clinical trials • Enhancing claims processing and risk adjustment accuracy • Surveillance for public health Best Practices For Harnessing AI In Healthcare Implementing AI in healthcare isn't just about choosing the right tools—it's about making them work in the real world. In my experience, the biggest challenges show up after the technology is in place. Success depends on how well teams understand the problem they're trying to solve and how much trust exists in the system. A few best practices can help: • Start with one clear use case. Whether it's chart abstraction, quality reporting or cohort identification, narrowing the focus makes it easier to prove value and build momentum. • Prioritize transparency. If users can't trace an insight back to the source, they're not going to trust it. Make sure outputs are verifiable and easy to audit. • Support the humans doing the work. AI should reduce manual effort, not override clinical judgment. Adoption improves when teams see that it will make their jobs easier. • Be clear about who is accountable. Even with AI at the helm, someone still needs to own the final decision. Build governance around who reviews outputs and how errors are caught and corrected. • Broadcast success and enlist champions. Identify one or two business or clinical advocates to embed AI into their workflows and showcase throughput gains, cost savings and how AI can free up clinicians for higher-value work and patient interaction. These practices don't merely help with implementation. They lay the groundwork for everything that comes after. Finally, with those foundations in place, teams can move from theory to real-world results. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
