In the highly competitive healthcare industry, online reviews and online reputation management are very important to differentiate the business and aim or success and growth. In this article I am going to show how we guided our team and our healthcare better online review rating and reputation management within 6 months only which helped attracting more patients and establishing a strong and positive brand image of Al Hafiz Hospital and surgical center in JLT.

1- Providing excellent patient experience:

At Al Hafiz Hospital we ensured our patients were receiving personalized professional care in a comfortable environment which helped to encourage positive reviews and generate a stronger reputation within the patient word of mouth and online

2- Request Reviews from Satisfied Patients:

We made sure our team are trained to request clear instructions from satisfied patients for direct feedback and online reviews within our platforms. It really helped us a lot to help to increase our positive online feedback.

3- Simplify the review process:

We made sure the instruction to make a review was simple and easy. At our centers, we placed stickers and banners with easy steps mostly a QR code to encourage them to write their experience at our center.

Also, we were providing instruction throughout our online platforms Facebook, Instagram, and website

4- engage with online reviews:

At Al Hafiz International Hospital, since we know truly know the importance of patients’ experiences and reviews, we were expressing gratitude for our positive feedback and we were following and addressing Ing the issues raised as negative reviews. Showing responsive and caring engagement had enhance our center’s reputation and helped boost our Google reviews positively

5- Training staff on the importance of reputation management: To make sure our plan was running successfully we had to continuously train our staff especially the front desk on the importance of reputation management.

Educating them about online reviews, how to request them, and how to handle the negative ones in a professional way. Such training had helped us in enhancing Al Hafiz Hospital’s reputation and online reviews

Conclusions: By providing exceptional patient experiences, requesting reviews, simplifying the process, engaging with online platforms, and leveraging social media, the center had helped our center attract more positive patients and solidify our reputation as a trusted healthcare provided in Abu Dhabi’s competitive market

Written by:

Eyad Abdulwahed
Marketing Specialist

We all have times when we do not speak smoothly. We may add “uh” or “you know” to what we say. Or, we may say a sound or word more than once. These are called disfluencies.

People who stutter may have more disfluencies and different types of disfluencies. They may repeat parts of words (repetitions), stretch a sound out for a long time (prolongations), or have a hard time getting a word out (blocks).

Stuttering is more than just disfluencies. Stuttering also may include tension and negative feelings about talking. It may get in the way of how you talk to others. You may want to hide your stuttering. So, you may avoid certain words or situations. For example, you may not want to talk on the phone if that makes you stutter more.

Stuttering can change from day to day. You may have times when you are fluent and times when you stutter more. Stress or excitement can lead to more stuttering.

Signs and Symptoms of Stuttering

The following typical disfluencies happen to many of us and are not stuttering:
Adding a sound or word, called an interjection – “I um need to go home.”
Repeating whole words – “Well well, I don’t agree with you.”
Repeating phrases – “He is–he is 4 years old.”
Changing the words in a sentence, called revision – “I had–I lost my tooth.”
Not finishing a thought – “His name is . . . I can’t remember.”
When children are learning a lot of words or new speech sounds, you may notice some of these typical disfluencies. This is normal.
The following types of disfluencies happen when someone stutters:
Part-word repetitions – “I w-w-w-want a drink.”
One-syllable word repetitions – “Go-go-go away.”
Prolonged sounds – “Ssssssssam is nice.”
Blocks or stops – “I want a (pause) cookie.”

You may also notice other behaviors like head nodding or eye blinking. Sometimes people who stutter use these behaviors to stop or keep from stuttering. They may also avoid using certain words or use different words to keep from stuttering.

Feelings and attitudes can affect stuttering. For example, frustration or tension can cause more disfluencies. Being excited or feeling rushed can also increase disfluencies. A person who stutters may also stutter more if others tease them or bring attention to their speech. Stuttering may cause a person to be embarrassed and make them feel nervous about talking.

People with autism have challenges with communication and social skills. They often find it hard to have conversations and may not pick up on social cues. Some people with autism may not talk at all, and others may talk very well. But all will have some challenges making friends and communicating socially.

People with autism also have some type of restricted interest or repetitive behaviors. They may focus on one topic, like cars or a television show, or they may be attached to a certain object or activity. A person with autism may not like changes in their schedule or changes in the way they do something.

Autism can range on a spectrum from mild to severe, depending on how much these challenges affect everyday life.

Signs and Symptoms of Autism

You can often observe signs and symptoms of autism in very young children. But sometimes they are not very noticeable, and they might not be recognized until school age or even adulthood. Signs and symptoms may change as the person gets older, but there will always be challenges with communication, social skills, and behaviors.

Communication

Communication includes understanding, talking, reading, and writing. A person with autism may have challenges
understanding and using gestures like pointing or waving;
understanding and using words;
following directions;
learning to read or write—some children with autism read early but do not understand what they read (called hyperlexia); and
having conversations.

A person with autism may
lose early words;
be hard to understand;
repeat words or phrases they just heard or that they heard days or weeks earlier (echolalia);
use a robotic or singsong speaking voice;
talk very little or not at all; and
use challenging behaviors instead of words or gestures to communicate what they want.

Social Skills

A person with autism may have challenges relating to others. It might seem like they are not interested in others or in making friends.
It may be hard for a person with autism to
share attention with someone else and focus on the same object or event;
join in play with others and share toys;
respond when others invite them to play or talk;
understand how others feel;
take turns in play or in conversation; and
make and keep friends.

Behaviors

A person with autism may
repeat certain behaviors including hand or body movements;
cry, laugh, or become angry for unknown reasons;
have trouble changing from one activity to the next;
get upset by certain sounds, smells, or textures;
like only a few foods;
choose foods based on look or texture; and
be interested in only a few objects or topics.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a lifelong brain disorder that makes it hard for a person to pay attention. Some people with ADHD have trouble sitting still or controlling their behavior.

Causes of ADHD
The exact cause of ADHD is unknown. The most likely cause is genetics. Many children with ADHD have a family history of the disorder.

Signs of ADHD
A person with ADHD may show some of the following signs:

Inattention

• Has trouble concentrating
• Starts thinking about other things
• Has problems staying focused on tasks
• Does not seem to listen
• Does better on some tasks than others
• Has problems planning, organizing, and finishing tasks on time
• Has problems learning new things

Hyperactivity

• Seems unable to sit still
• Is restless and fidgety
• May bounce from one activity to the next
• Often tries to do more than one thing at once

Impulsivity

• May act before thinking
• Has problems waiting her turn, such as when playing a game

Healthy Ramadan !!
Guidelines for Healthy food

Tip 1) Eat well at Suhoor & Ifar which are the two main meals of the day in the holy month of Ramadan.
Tip 2) Try to have a late Suhoor ( before dawn) , this is the most important meal of the day just like a usual breakfast. Be generous to include fruits, milk & a cereal here. You can try smoothies, eggs, whole wheat bread sandwiches etc.
Have a hearty, nourishing Suhoor.
Tip 3) Break your fast early with dates & water. Followed by a cup of milk / glass of fresh juice. Pray “Magreb” & continue with your meal.
Tip 4) Avoid eating spicy, fatty, or salty foods that will make you thirsty in the night.
Tip 5) Traditional desserts at the evening meal should be eaten two hours after opening the fast in small quantities. Prefer milky puddings with low fat milk and less sugar. Serve yourself, your family, and guests a “dessert” of fresh fruit and nuts. There are lovely choices available in this season, and they are much healthier.
Tip 6) Drink sufficient water between Iftar and sleep to re-hydrate & replenish water loss.
Tip 7) Try to take a power nap / rest towards the end of the day just before Iftar.
Tip 8) Don’t exercise when you are fasting. One should exercise either before Suhour or 2 hours after Iftaar . To maintain your fitness it is recommended to exercise or brisk walk four to five times a week in Ramadan.
Tip 9) Practice YOGA , stretching exercises, deep, slow, rhythmic breath techniques.
Tip 10) Don’t rush to start eating, or eat fast. Leisurely relish your food.
Tip 11) If you have any medical problem, consult your physician before fasting.
Tip 12) In the day brush your teeth & use floss.

What Is Fever?

Temperature of our bodies is amazingly steady despite significant variation in environmental temperature. The thermo regulatory center is in our brain at hypothalamus, which act like a thermostat with a set point at normal body temperature. This is done by balancing heat production (by metabolic activity in liver and muscle) with heat loss through a skin and lung.

Fever occurs when the thermostat set point is raised above the current body temperature. When the body is exposed to infection organisms such as viruses or bacteria a number of so called pyrogens are produced as part of inflammatory response. These pyrogens can then act on the thermostat to raise the temperature set point by the release of a substance called prostaglandin. Now once the set point is raised heat generating action in the body like cellular metabolism in mostly skeletal muscle come into play to raise the temperature to the new set point.

What Is Fever Phobia?

Fever is one of the most common reasons that parents seek medical attention for their children. Parental concern usually arises because of the belief that fever is a disease rather than a symptom of an illness. This misconception and unrealistic concerns about the fever which ranges from thinking about the brain damage, losing their children, and the disease causing the fever is a potentially dangerous one rather than relatively benign one are termed fever phobia.

This parental fever phobia which exists across socio economic classes is strongly reinforced sometimes by the action of pediatric medical professionals, who are widely considered to be the primary resource of the subject. It is even emphasized as a discharge instruction, from emergency department and inpatient facilities as a warning to parents to call or return if fever develops or persists. So there is incongruence between the education of the family and the practice of the pediatrician. This mixed message which remains in existence does cause parents to lose sleep and experience unnecessary stress due to unwarranted concern about the harmful side effect of the fever.

Advice to Parents Regarding Their Febrile Child and Unwarranted Concerns about Harmful Side Effects of Fever:

I know it is hard to resist reacting to a hot little forehead and sad eyes, but if you remember the following, you will know when is the time to worry about your child’s fever and when you can be more patient and do not stress yourself.

1. Make sure your child has really fever (axillary temperature greater than 37.5°C or rectal temperature more than 38°C). Taking temperature by hand can be misleading.

2. Fever is only a sign of a disease and does not indicate the type of the disease or its severity no matter what the level of temperature is, high or low.

3. Remember that, especially in a child less than two to three years, most of the time the cause of the fever is viral infection, which is usually benign, and causes no serious damage to your child.

4. Fever is the body’s way of stimulating immune system, increasing white blood count, and fighting against infection. It also decreases the ability of viruses and bacteria to reproduce. Fever apart from being a sign of disease in your child, it has many beneficial effects and does not go higher and higher and usually not go beyond 41°C.

5. When your child has a fever, look for other signs i.e. Is he playful and looks normal between episodes of fever, is he alert and not weak or lethargic, does he smile, and has a normal color, these are the good signs indicating that the cause of the fever is not that serious and covers most cases of febrile children. If so, you can wait and do not stress yourself and do not need to call your doctor in the middle of the night. There is one exception and that is in a child less than six months of age where the immune system is not mature and the presence of fever may be an indication of a serious bacterial infection, which in that case you should call your pediatrician.

6. If he looks sick or constantly cries and irritable, is not playful, there is change of alertness, has a respiratory distress or swallowing problem, or the fever is persisting for more than two to three days, these are the bad signs and you should consult your pediatrician.

7. Febrile convulsion sometimes happen in kids less than four years, which usually stops after a few minutes and causes no problem, but if your child already had seizure in past or there is history of convulsion in the family, or any sign of neurological or central nervous system insult or problem, he needs more attention and should consult your pediatrician.

Dr. Hossein Sardarizadeh M.D. 
Specialist Pediatrician (Board Certified) 
Al Hafiz International Hospital 

According to recent research the risk for heart disease doubles for women who enter menopause early, women who go through menopause before age 45 have a two to threefold risk of heart disease. Women who have their ovaries removed before age 35 have a sevenfold risk. If you’re older than 35 but still younger than 40, your risk is a only bit lower — about twice the chance of developing heart disease.

In fact, whether you’ve gone through a surgical or natural premature menopause, you’re at a higher risk of heart disease than women who have gone through menopause at the average age.

Especially if the early menopause is combined with one or more of the traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors:
1- Diabetes
2- Smoking
3- Obesity
4- Hypertension
5- High LDL
6- Low HDL
7- Family History

Estrogen is the hormone that prevents these cardiac risks. We know that ladies who are premenopausal but still producing hormones are at a significantly lower risk for coronary heart disease, heart attacks and strokes than are post-menopausal women or men of any age .

Sources of iron:

• Egg yolks
• Molasses, liver and beef
• Raisin bran, Raisins, Prunes, Dried apricots, Figs
• Kidney beans, Pinto beans, Navy beans, Lentils, Split green peas
• Enriched cereals, Enriched macaroni, rice bran
• Spinach, Greens, Broccoli, Lima beans, Avocado

The following foods can help your body absorb iron better:

• Oranges
• Cantaloupe
• Strawberries
• Grapefruit
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts

Foods to Reduce or Eliminate:

Cow’s milk may cause anemia by interfering with iron absorption, so it may be beneficial not to consume dairy at the same time as iron-rich foods or supplements. Eliminate trans and hydrogenated fats, alcohol, processed foods, refined foods and sugar. These substances may interfere with iron absorption.

How sick he can get?
The toxic compound in multivitamins overdose is not because of the vitamins but is because of the iron which is one of the so-called bomb medications meaning it is a medications that lack symptoms early after ingestion, but later have profound toxic course. There is a large variety of children multivitamins that contains different amounts of elemental iron per tablet or teaspoon while adult multivitamins may contain up to 60mg elemental iron per tablet. The toxic dose of iron ingestion is at least 20mg per kilogram of elemental iron and a lethal dose of iron is in the range of 60 – 180mg per kilogram of elemental iron.  Because iron can initially cause nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, a child with a suspected but unknown amount of iron poisoning can be observed and an iron level can be obtained. If you are not sure about ingested tablet an abdominal radiography can also help. A Child who has no complain and has a normal physical exam after 4-6 hours of observation can be safely discharged home especially if serum iron level is less than 500 mcg/ml. If the ingested iron happens to be significant it can cause, shock, coagulation disorder, myocardial depression and cell death.