In just over two years, the Office of International Healthcare Services (OIHS) has helped transform UNMC/NHS into a significant participant on the international medical market. Its collaborative partnerships have been formed with 34 prominent medical institutions in 17 countries. Its executive director has promoted UNMC/NHS to more than 110 institutions in 30 countries.
“I am pleased to report that in a short span of two years since we started our international program, we have made a remarkable progress on all fronts,” said Nizar Mamdani, executive director of OIHS. “As major trends and global influences continue to shape the future, our office remains focused and enthusiastic about UNMC/NHS’s transformation to becoming a major influence in the international medical arena.”
In 2001, OIHS built its momentum by concentrating on its core strengths and by fostering a culture of international training, education, research and patient focus. Part of the 2001 success was due to an innovative, multi-phased partnership program that OIHS initiated about a year ago. The program offers distinctive benefits to global partners and helps increase UNMC/NHS’s international patient referrals to Omaha.
“Our no-cost training programs are unique. We can customize our programs to meet our partners’ needs. In the end, our partners’ patients are the ultimate beneficiaries, because they have access to our excellent programs in such areas as advanced cancer care, transplantation, orthopedics, minimally invasive surgery and technology,” Mamdani said.
Last year alone, more than 30 specialists took advantage of the OIHS training programs in Omaha. In addition, UNMC/NHS physicians, nurses, researchers and other specialists visited partner institutions, building “comfort-levels” to encourage OIHS’s partners to refer their patients to UNMC/NHS. OIHS continues to provide the highest quality personalized services for international patients receiving their treatments in Omaha, Mamdani said.
“Our positive results, despite a year of unprecedented volatility, demonstrate our well-conceived plans and our long-standing commitment to deliver the best patient care and educational and training programs,” Mamdani said. “We have received a tremendous support from everyone both at NHS and UNMC. Without their support and the support of my staff, none of this would have been possible.”
Mamdani said the effects of digital convergence and globalization in the medical sector will continue to provide significant opportunities for OIHS to be a major contributor in patient care, education, training and research initiatives.
“We’ll continue to focus on serving new communities by forming strategic alliances with international institutions. We’ll utilize exchange programs, telecommunication, video and Web-enabled systems to implement our multi-faceted medical and educational services,” Mamdani reported. “As we continue to enhance our international programs, we will use our expertise and insight to provide a variety of innovative personal services for our strategic partners and their patients.”
Plans also are now being finalized to implement new programs in electronic consultation and second-opinion services, research, biotechnology and nursing education programs.
Mamdani stressed that while UNMC/NHS is already enjoying the benefits of the OIHS programs, this is just the beginning of what he foresees as a phenomenal future for UNMC/NHS in the international arena.
“We have just laid the foundation for greater things to come for our institution. Not only in terms of economic benefits that we’ve already witnessed in the past two years, but also in terms of generating a heightened awareness of UNMC/NHS and of Nebraska internationally.”
Mamdani says that he has only one regret — he wishes that his wife, Nancy, were here to see the tremendous progress that has been made in her memory. “I know she’d be very happy to see what we’ve accomplished in the past 18 months since she passed away. Her encouragement and inspiration led me to start this program in the first place and helps keep me going.”