Leading international experts in healthcare information systems and technology will be in Riyadh to discuss the benefits of a paperless hospital network at a key summit which opens today (Sunday).

The '2011 HIMSS Middle East Conference and Exhibition,' a leading international healthcare technology and systems event, will run till May 31 at Four Seasons Hotel.

The expo opens at a time when Saudi Arabia boosts investment in healthcare, with specialised IT and information systems areas of focus across the sector, said the organisers.

'Given Saudi is Gulf’s largest economy and fastest growing population, the introduction of electronic health records is particularly important in meeting increasing demand and delivering world-class healthcare,'said Stephen Lieber, HIMSS president and CEO.

In addition to population demands in Saudi, with over 25 million residents, the large scale and complexity of Kingdom’s healthcare sector is driving the need for the standardisation and efficiency benefits an IT-enabled healthcare system will bring, he explained.

Saudi Arabia’s health system comprises more than 100,000 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses and other allied health workers, with around 3,300 hospitals and primary healthcare facilities spread across 18 zones and regions.

“Electronic health records are key to sharing information among healthcare providers, improving quality of care and helping to control costs for all stakeholders,” added Lieber.

Also closely linked with the benefits of a paperless network are initiatives such as clinical coding, with Saudi Arabia’s adoption of this World Health Organisation standard also on the agenda at HIMSS 2011, he pointed out.

'Clinical coding provides a standard for the tracking of diseases and epidemics, identification and mapping of common causes of death and illnesses by region and overall improvement of health service planning,' he added.

HIMSS brings together more than 50 thought leaders from Canada, France, the Middle East, United Kingdom and the US, sharing insights, discussing emerging trends, strategies and lessons from eHealth initiatives applied around the globe, to help 500 regional and international delegates transform healthcare in their respective countries.

During the Leadership Summit, held on day one, speakers from the US, Asia and Europe will join regional government and private sector professionals, addressing the core issues impacting managers in the healthcare IT space.

Providing international perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of the sector, areas to be covered include organisational governance, performance management and change management.

Days two and three will feature the Healthcare IT Conference and Exhibition, with the conference keynote presentation to be delivered by Mohammed R Al Yemeni, advisor to the Minister of Health and Supervisor of ICT, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.

Al Yemeni will discuss the Kingdom’s significant challenges in rolling out successful healthcare IT strategies across the most populous nation in the Middle East.-TradeArabia News Service