Emirates International Specialist Hospital Centralizes Obesity and Metabolic Services to Provide 360-Degree Care
SRC-certified Center of Excellence offers full medical, dietary and psychological support to obese and overweight patients throughout their weight loss journey
Acknowledging the importance of multidisciplinary care in controlled and sustainable weight loss, Emirates International Specialist Hospital , part of Mubadala’s network of world-class healthcare providers, has centralized its surgical, medical, psychological and dietary weight-related services into a single location at its Zayed Sport City Abu Dhabi campus.
The aim is to enhance collaboration between specialists working on a patient’s case, and to create seamless access to services for obese and overweight patients.
“We believe that a multidisciplinary approach to weight loss is key. There is no point giving a patient a bariatric operation without first resolving underlying family, medical and psychological issues that led to his or her weight issue,” explains Dr. Mohammed Al Hadad, a consultant bariatric surgeon and Head of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery at Emirates International Specialist Hospital .
“Similarly, after bariatric surgery, the patient will be able to consume only a relatively small amount of food at a time, and will need a dietitian’s help to ensure they are getting all the required nutrients on this reduced calorie intake.”
He adds that it is not just a patient’s weight that needs to be addressed, but also comorbidities associated with obesity such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea, asthma, osteoarthritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), among others.
“Our surgeons, doctors and specialists will have specialized bariatric knowledge and collaborate to ensure that all aspects of a patient’s health are addressed. Even the support staff will have experience specific to dealing with obese and overweight patients.”
Emirates International Specialist Hospital ’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center is the only one of its kind in Abu Dhabi accredited as a Center of Excellence by the international Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), which awards medical facilities based on safety standards and quality of care.
“We are proud to be the only bariatric center in Abu Dhabi to be accredited as a Center of Excellence, but we want to continue to reach new heights in patient satisfaction, and this move to centralize our services is in line with that,” says Dr. Mohammad.
“It is important to us that patients realize that weight loss is not an isolated event; it is a journey and we will offer them support in every aspect throughout.”