Mazin Gadir, a regional expert in digital health strategy, Director with Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare and Life Sciences in Dubai, reflects on the Middle East’s evolution from early EMR adoption to AI-driven healthcare. From Dubai’s innovation playground to Abu Dhabi’s depth in research, he explains how rivalry between Gulf states fuels progress and why exporting tested models to Africa and beyond is the new norm. He also questions the myth of leapfrogging, pointing out that fragmentation and lack of research remain barriers. This candid conversation explores regulation, interoperability, and the role of academia in sustaining innovation.

www.facesofdigitalhealth.com
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00:00 – Introduction: blockchain hype and digital health evolution
01:00 – From EMRs to health information exchanges in the Middle East
03:00 – The impact of COVID-19 on digital transformation
04:30 – Rise of patient empowerment and consumerization of healthcare
05:30 – The missing role of academia and research in the region
07:00 – Comparing Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s different innovation models
09:00 – Dubai as a playground for testing, Abu Dhabi for research depth
10:30 – Rivalry across GCC states as a driver of innovation
12:00 – Exporting Gulf digital health models to Africa and beyond
14:00 – Challenges of scaling across Middle Eastern countries
16:00 – Interoperability: current maturity and pilgrim use cases
18:00 – Opportunities and limits of leapfrogging
20:00 – The role of academia and sustainability of innovation

www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

https://fodh.substack.com/