cardiac institute at zulekha hospital embellishes the backyard of medical tourism in dubai.
Delivering quality care to the core, Zulekha Hospital now centers in to promote Healthcare Tourism in Dubai. Realizing the vision of Dr. Zulekha Daud and a holistic healthcare approach, Zulekha Hospital integrated a super-specialized cardiac facility to its medical conglomeration. The core values can be summed up in one sentence as stated by the founder Dr Zulekha Daud — "Beyond the technology, besides the specialists, something more is there — the magic of a caring touch" .Subsequently, Shawl Cardiovascular Institute and Research Centre (SCIRC) in Dubai under the leadership of Dr. Fayaz Shawl at Zulekha Hospital, Dubai has attracted patients from far-spread countries like UK, US, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Canada and other countries. These patients would have normally gone for their cardiac treatments to the US at his centre in Washington which is also a tedious process after 9/11. It was only natural then to offer this combination of ‘High Quality Care’ coupled with an opportunity to rejuvenate overseas patients with exotic UAE. “The SCIRC is the result of a golden handshake between Dr. Zulekha and Dr Shawl 14 years ago who was then treating Dr.Zulekha’s husband” said Dr. Kishan Pakkal, Chief Operating Officer of Zulekha Hospital.
In its continuing endeavor to deliver better care, Zulekha Hospital continues to bring super-specialized medical professionals and procedures to UAE with a vision to serve global standards. Dr. Fayaz Shawl, “the world renowned Interventional Cardiologist” is presently Clinical Professor of Medicine and Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine at George Washington University Hospital, Washington DC. He is also the Director of Interventional Cardiology at Washington Adventist Hospital for over 25 years and Chairman of this upcoming Shawl’s Cardiovascular Institute and Research Centre at Zulekha Hospital, Dubai. “The money I make from the rich is given back to the needy through the Shawl Foundation” said Dr. Fayaz Shawl. He is considered to have done more interventional procedures as a single operator than any other interventional cardiologists in the world. Till now, Dr. Shawl has brought a wide range of Interventional procedures (opening blocked arteries involving heart, brain, kidneys, legs etc) as well as other procedures like Automatic Internal Defibrillator (AICD) implantation for patients who have weak heart muscle or abnormal heart rhythms leading to a sudden death syndrome and Pediatric Cardiology care for the children who have heart defects. In addition, he has brought break-through technologies like Impella (an artificial heart-lung machine for very sick patients) and Rotoblator procedure (diamond drill to unblock some arteries of the heart with very hard calcific plaques), the latest ground-breaking technology from him being the replacement of heart valve without open heart surgery and minimal invasive heart surgery. This technology (called Percutaneous Aortic Care valve) is available in only about 6-7 places in the world. Moreover he will be speaking on this subject to the entire physician community of UAE on January 7th at 9:30 pm at The Meridien Hotel. For different interventional ailments, Dr. Shawl brings along his colleagues who are highly skilled and celebrated team of Cardiologists in the United States including Dr. James A Thompson (Pediatric Cardiologist who also does procedures in children with heart defects), Dr. Jonathan Reiner (Interventional Cardiologist), Dr Sung Lee(Electro-physiologist) and trained technicians who have participated in successful cardiac procedures on extremely important international office bearers and dignitaries. Both Dr. Reiner and Dr.Lee from George Washington University Hospital was the physician who did the procedures on Mr. Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the United States after he had a heart attack and previous bypass surgery. In addition, he is bringing the best of the Heart and Vascular surgeons, nurses and other staff in order to establish a World Class Heart Center which can also cater the local UAE residents who have to go outside the UAE to get some of these procedures. This level of expertise is earning this cardiovascular Institute at Zulekha Hospital a reputation to influence and improve the standards of cardiologic experience in the region.
True to expectations, within the first year of operations, the Cardiovascular Institute under the leadership of Dr.Fayaz Shawl at Zulekha Hospital has registered commendable cardiac achievements. In addition of performing very complex elective cases since November 2007 with the results similar to his center in the United States. Few patients (following major heart attack) transferred on emergency basis from other hospitals around UAE, were taken up by Dr.Shawl with excellent survival rate and each survival is a credit to his expertise of handling such high risk critical cases. This year also witnessed a proud moment for interventional cardiology of UAE through the first ever LIVE Interventional Cardiology demonstration by Dr. Shawl and his US based team. Over 200 cardiologists from around the world assembled at Grand Hyatt, Dubai to witness Dr.Shawl and his team conduct procedures from this Cardiovascular Institute at Zulekha Hospital, Dubai via telecast. This was followed by interactive de briefing session to address queries from the entire fraternity.
Dr.Fayaz Shawl also represents the very essence of possibility in the field of high risk interventional cardiology after his innovation of a technique, when available in the Cath Lab can save lives in a case of a complication. Throughout his career he has continually inspired hope and trust in cases passed up as ‘marginally possible.’ This rebellious attitude to pursue judgmental clinical solutions in complex circumstances has indeed positioned Dr.Shawl as a pioneer, innovator, surgeon par excellence and above all an epitome of undying humane spirit. The Dr.Fayaz Shawl Philanthropic Foundation Inc epitomizes this spirit and now works along with Zulekha Hospital to help who cannot afford life saving, high priced cardiac procedures. For further information regarding this foundation, please check his website at www.shawlfoundation.org.
As a belief, this cardiovascular Institute at Zulekha Hospital along with Dr. Shawl intends to make 2008 as a year of positioning Dubai as a Medical Tourism Destination. In this, Dr. Shawl is determined to create ripples from the cardiovascular institute at Zulekha Hospital, by adding stalwarts like Dr. Sung Lee, Dr. James Thompson, Dr. Mark Turco, Dr. Bruce Rubin, Dr. Fedrick Lowe, Dr. David Brill, Dr. Jonathan Reiner as well as trained nurses and technicians for establishing “a world class Heart center”. In addition to imparting knowledge to his colleagues in the entire UAE region, this cardiovascular institute at Zulekha Hospital will also be representing UAE while participating in the Live Demonstrations to be relayed from Zulekha Cath Lab in Dubai to a congregation of medical professionals from all over the world assembled at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi on 5th January. 2008. Moreover second Live demonstrations (planned for March 25, 26 2008) will continue beaming education from contemporary Interventional Cardiology Practices to the fraternity in UAE, converting the region to a promising destination for interventional expertise. The goal of shifting cardiac expertise to the shores of Dubai will complement the progressive vision of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid to make UAE a preferred global destination.
