GlobeMed signed an MoU with the Higher Institute of Public Health (ISSP) of Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) at a ceremony in January where it also announced the establishment of the GlobeMed Scholarship Fund.
The ceremony was attended by the Rector of USJ, Professor Salim Daccache sj, GlobeMed chairman and CEO Mounir Kharma, director of the ISSP Dr Michèle Kosremelli Asmar, director general of the Ministry of Public Health Dr Walid Ammar, chairman and CEO of AXA Middle East Roger Nasnas who is also a GlobeMed board member, managing director of Libano Suisse and board member in GlobeMed Pierre Pharaon, general secretary of the USJ Foundation Carmel Ghafari Wakim, along with ISSP team members and executive attendance from GlobeMed and USJ.
In his opening speech, Professor Daccache expressed his great pleasure with the initiative and emphasised the importance of the partnership between the university and the private sector for the benefit of students, “especially in these difficult times for the institutions seeking to serve Lebanon as a whole, whether at the level of daily obstacles or through facing an unforeseen future”. He added, “We hope to overcome this period with the least possible losses, and continue supporting our students with scholarships, so that we continue to enhance effective and productive Lebanese human capital, thanks to the continuous efforts between partners and friends.”
Mr Kharma highlighted the strong relationship between GlobeMed and USJ, which goes back to the early 1990s, explaining the evolution of GlobeMed’s vision with emphasis on the Clinical Coding and Health Information Analysis programmes. He said, “Over the years, GlobeMed has gained in-depth experience in working with hospitals and in managing claims. It became clear to us that there is a need for a common language between the various stakeholders. Consequently, the idea of using the international clinical coding was emanated to enable hospitals to benefit from several aspects, mainly to facilitate dealing with the advanced medical equipment and medical files, as well as billing issuing between the concerned parties.
“Consequently, we have partnered with USJ to teach students and train them on all clinical coding aspects. That was 18 years ago, during which the programme has trained hundreds of professionals from insurance companies and other private and public health programmes. The Lebanese Ministry of Health was one of the first organisations which supported the use of clinical coding and indeed they applied it to their work.”
He added, “Today we launch, in collaboration with the USJ, the Health Information Analysis programme which aims to develop the competencies of analysts in turning information from databases into valuable data for better informed business decisions.
“As for the scholarship programme, it is a token of appreciation and loyalty to the USJ and its distinguished academic status as a beacon for higher education, which has graduated many prominent Lebanese personalities.”
On behalf of ISSP public health students, Mr Marc Jreij thanked GlobeMed for their commitment to developing high quality health standards and policies. He said, “GlobeMed provides substantial financial and moral support, which will allow them to innovate. It is a very rewarding initiative at both the academic and health sector levels in Lebanon.” M