Hotel manager, hospital director, and DDI
i believe the primary responsibility of any hotel manager is to provide comfort and care for guests, just as the primary responsibility of a hospital director is to ensure necessary comfort and care for patients and visitors.
often, being a physician alone is not enough to succeed as a hospital director. it is essential to appoint directors who are either specialists in hospital administration or physicians who have completed formal training in hospital management.
another important observation is that many government agencies and companies, especially those established 30 to 40 years ago, were founded on solid principles and managed with a successful mindset that has remained intact, such as the public institution for social security.
despite the numerous thefts these companies have faced, they have maintained integrity in dealing with hundreds of thousands of clients. in contrast, companies established without proper professionalism have remained ineffective, plagued by bureaucracy, complexity, and administrative inefficiency, often forcing clients to rely on personal connections to complete transactions. examples include the environment public authority, the public authority for industry, and the public authority for agricultural affairs and fish resources.
a successful example i recently observed is the dasman diabetes institute (ddi), a leading scientific, research, and treatment center in the region, established 20 years ago with financial support from the kuwait foundation for the advancement of sciences.
i had heard a great deal about the exceptional level of service the center provides. at a friend’s suggestion, i decided to write about it, so i visited the center and underwent diabetes testing to see firsthand how patients are treated. i received outstanding service, even though i do not have diabetes. i was genuinely impressed by the high level of professionalism in a clean environment, free from idle staff or disorder.
i left with the strong impression that the institute’s management places it on par with leading western institutions. i met with tariq al-aryan, director of the dasman diabetes institute, who briefed me on the center’s achievements and activities.
i later learned, through my own sources and observations, that the institute’s smooth operations and its comfortable, clean, and professional atmosphere are largely attributed to its founder, dr. kazem behbehani, who served as its fi rst director general for 14 years. his successor, dr. qais al-duwairi, continued the same approach until 2020, and he was recently succeeded by dr. faisal al-rifai.
the second, and perhaps most important, reason for the institute’s success is the board of trustees, which provides effective oversight of the center’s operations and ensures the smooth functioning of its work.
it would be highly beneficial for the government to replicate the dasman diabetes institute’s model in some of the country’s dysfunctional and deteriorating institutions. the decline of these institutions began with weaknesses in their initial leadership and has continued to the present day.
in conclusion, the dasman diabetes institute’s attainment of global standing, along with the many awards and commendations it has received from local, regional, and international bodies, is the result of diligent effort, sound governance, and good management.
