ABU DHABI (WAM)
Under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, the Arab Hospitals Federation organised the seventh edition of the Gold Initiative Certificate for the third consecutive year at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.
Held under the theme “Role Model in Healthcare Excellence”, the ceremony brought together leading Arab healthcare figures, decision-makers, experts and representatives of healthcare institutions and authorities.
The seventh edition witnessed a strong Emirati presence, with the UAE accounting for the largest share of participating organisations and ranking first among participating countries in the number of winning and honoured healthcare institutions.
This reflects the progress of the UAE healthcare system and its institutions' commitment to quality, innovation, sustainability and enhanced patient experience.
In a recorded address during the ceremony, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak welcomed attendees to Abu Dhabi and the UAE, describing the gathering as a celebration of excellence in Arab healthcare.
He said the Arab Hospitals Federation embodies a shared ambition across the Arab world to enable people to lead healthier and more productive lives by setting standards, measuring performance and encouraging healthcare institutions to continuously assess and improve their work.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak also welcomed the initiative's partners, The Beryl Institute, HIMSS and the World Council for Medical Tourism, saying their expertise connects Arab healthcare excellence with leading international practices. He commended PureHealth for supporting the initiative for the third consecutive year.
He affirmed that the UAE considers health a fundamental pillar of human development and noted that UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has placed the health and well-being of the community at the heart of the country's development efforts.
Under the leadership of the President, the UAE has made substantial investments in hospitals, clinics, technology, research and healthcare professionals, helping establish one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the region and globally, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said.
He added that the Gold Initiative Certificate recognises healthcare as fundamentally a human undertaking, where clinical judgement, nursing care, patient dignity and institutional culture are among the true measures of success.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak expressed pride in seeing UAE institutions among those honoured alongside distinguished healthcare organisations from across the Arab world.
He said the seventh edition represented an important evolution of the Gold Initiative by recognising institutions from 10 countries across eight dimensions of healthcare excellence, reflecting the understanding that excellence is multidimensional.
A healthcare institution can become a role model through the safety of its clinical practices, leadership, workforce care, patient experience, adoption of technology or commitment to sustainability, he added.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak congratulated the honoured institutions and said the recognition reflected the efforts of physicians, nurses, administrators, technicians and other professionals committed to continuous improvement.
He stressed that healthcare excellence is ultimately reflected in patients' confidence in their healthcare system, including the clarity of information provided to them, the dignity with which they are treated and the trust families place in healthcare professionals.
Concluding his address, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said the Arab region possesses the talent, resources and ambition needed not only to follow international standards of healthcare excellence, but increasingly to help shape them.
The seventh edition marked a new milestone in the initiative's seven-year journey, moving from a focus on a specific area of healthcare transformation in each cycle towards a broader concept recognising excellence across multiple dimensions.
The Gold Initiative Certificate was organised in partnership with The Beryl Institute, HIMSS and the World Council for Medical Tourism, with the support of PureHealth as strategic partner for the third consecutive year.
The assessment methodology combined Arab and international expertise and was based on five principal criteria: innovation, impact, sustainability, scalability and evidence. It assessed organisations' ability to present advanced and sustainable healthcare models that could be adopted on a wider scale.
Alice Yammine Boueiz, Chief Executive Officer of the Arab Hospitals Federation, said the seventh edition reflected the initiative's development over seven years and that its value now extended beyond the certificate itself to the trust it represents for institutions, patients and communities.
Boueiz said: “Excellence in healthcare is not declared; it is demonstrated. The Gold Initiative was not created to be a one-time award or a certificate displayed on a wall. It was created as a mark of trust that tells patients and communities that the institution holding it has provided evidence of its excellence and of the impact it has achieved.”
She emphasised the annual nature of the certificate and the importance of continuous assessment, noting that healthcare institutions, standards, technology and patients' expectations continue to evolve.
She added: “Earning the certificate once means that an institution has achieved something significant. Returning and proving its eligibility year after year means that excellence has become part of its institutional culture.”
The seventh edition attracted 332 healthcare institutions from 10 Arab countries. The assessment resulted in the recognition of 50 healthcare institutions and authorities across eight dimensions of excellence.
The UAE accounted for the largest share of participating and winning institutions, reinforcing its leading position within the Arab healthcare excellence landscape and highlighting its advanced models in performance, innovation, quality of care and sustainable impact.
The winning healthcare institutions received certificates and excellence trophies in the presence of Fadi Alameh, President of the Arab Hospitals Federation, alongside healthcare leaders, officials and partners from across the Arab world.
The ceremony began with two special recognition awards. PureHealth received the “Pioneer of Excellence in Healthcare” award, while Sally Al Rabaa, Chair of the Jury for the seventh edition, received the “Innovative Leadership in Healthcare Excellence” award.
Institutions receiving the seventh edition's highest distinction, “Holistic Role Model in Healthcare Excellence”, were then recognised for demonstrating advanced, multidimensional excellence and establishing models that could contribute to the development of the Arab healthcare sector.
Other institutions were recognised at the Platinum, Gold and Silver levels according to their assessment results. Over seven years, the Gold Initiative Certificate has developed into a Mark of Excellence for healthcare institutions seeking to embed quality, safety, accountability and continuous improvement.
The Arab Hospitals Federation invited hospitals from across the Arab world to participate in the eighth edition, describing the initiative as an annual opportunity to demonstrate excellence and strengthen credibility among patients and communities.
The ceremony concluded by affirming that the theme “Role Model in Healthcare Excellence” represents an ongoing responsibility for institutions to continue raising performance standards and inspiring the wider Arab healthcare sector.