Prof. Abdulrazak Abyad

Representing a new wave of physicians who combine medical expertise with public health and management skills, Dr. Abyad is currently the CEO of Abyad Medical Center, Lebanon.  I was the Chairman of Medical Education and Training at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz , Riyadh. He worked as CEO of an Elderly Care/Psychiatric hospital in Lebanon between 2007 to 2010.   He worked with the General Authority for Health Services (GAHS) for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE, between 2004 to 2007 (GAHS is the regional body overseeing health services for 1 million citizens, in 50+ facilities with a staff of over 10,000).  Initially he worked in the Primary Health Care Department of GAHS, where his job scope was to handle all matters pertaining to the development, implementation, operation and administration of the family medicine model of care for primary health care centers in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.  Between 2006 to 2007 he became the Team Leader for the CME/CPD section (including postgraduate medical education and professional training program). 

Dr Abyad was born in Tripoli-Lebanon on April 7, 1959. He joined the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1979 where he earned a degree in B.Sc. Biology (with Distinction) and Doctor of Medicine in 1986. After completing his speciality training in Family Medicine in 1990 at the American University of Beirut (AUB), he joined the University of Arizona Medical Center, in the USA.   In Arizona he did a Fellowship Program in Faculty Development, during 1991-1992, and a Fellowship in Geriatrics between 1991-1993.  He received the degree of Advanced Postgraduate Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology from the European Academy for Medicine of Ageing (EAMA) 2001, in Switzerland.

His extensive administrative and management training began with earning a Master’s degree in Public Health, in 1988 from AUB.  This was cultured by joining “The International Leadership Academy’s: 2nd International Leadership Program, The United Nations University”, in 1998 in Amman.  This was further complemented byjoining an executive MBA program at the International University of Monaco Dec 2003-June 2005.  He recently being nominated as Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives. 

I recently gained a doctorate degree in management from Swiss Management Center in Switzerland.

Dr. Abyad served as a Coordinator, AinWaZein, Geriatric Program Chouf, Lebanon, between 1995-2003.  At Ain Wazein Elderly Care Centre, he created a comprehensive health care program for the elderly starting from building an extensive team, and a model program for Lebanon and the region.  He was responsible for the academic, research and overall patient care, in addition to training of the residents.  All through his career, he has served as a consultant and advisor to various organisations including the World Health Organisation, Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, and University of Amman in Jordan, in the field of Aging, Family Medicine, Health Manpower Development, Health Policy, education, and development of services.

He has wide expertise in planning, and running medical services, organizational development, quality improvement, research, and personnel development.  He was instrumental in the development of a number of academic organizations, training programs, curriculum, and clinical guidelines in Lebanon and the region.  He has extensive teaching experience both at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level in the medical, paramedical, public health, pharmacy and business field. In addition Dr. Abyad has organised a large number of conferences, workshops, CME and CPD programs, regionally and internationally.

He founded in 2003, with the help of a number of dedicated professional from the region, and Europe, the Middle-East Academy of Medicine of Ageing (MEAMA). He is acting as the chairman of the academy and as a member of the Executive Board. The aim of the Academy is to improve the knowledge and skills of professionals, physicians, nurses and health care officers, in health related problems of older people.  He founded, in 2005, The Middle-East Association on Aging and Alzheimer’s (MEAAA) where he is currently the president.   He is a member of a large number of international committees and professional societies.  He was elected as fellow to the American Society of Geriatrics, and Royal Society of Medicine.  Dr Abyad serves as a member of the board of the Voluntary Islamic hospital in Tripoli Lebanon. 

He founded in 2005 Middle-East Primary Care Research Network (MEPCRN) and in 2006 Middle-East Network on Ageing research (MENAR).    The aim of both networks is to answer the substantial research need in primary care and the ageing field in the Middle East.  He is currently acting as the coordinator of both networks.

Dr Abyad has an extensive list of publication, book chapters, and large number of editorials.  He has published works on aging issues, primary health care issues, health manpower development, public health, health care systems, management, business issues, and others.  He acts as Peer Reviewer of Manuscripts and Abstracts for a large number of organizations. He is on the international editorial board of the International Journal of Medicine Journal of the Association of Health Care Professionals, Geriatrics Today, and is a Board member of World CME http://www.worldcme.com.   Dr Abyad was also instrumental in establishing six   journals, Middle East Journal of Family Medicine (MEJFM) http://www.mejfm.com, Middle-East Journal of Age & Ageing http://www.me-jaa.com, Middle East Journal of Nursing http://www.me-jn.com, Middle East Journal of Businesshttp://www.mejb.com, Middle East Journal of Internal Medicine http://www.me-jim.com,  and Middle East Journal of Psychiatry & Alzheimer’s http://www.me-jpa.com.  He is currently the Chief Editor of four of these journals and associate editor of two.   All journals are peer-reviewed and meet the needs of scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and the patients and communities they serve in the Middle East and beyond.  These journals have an extensive Regional and International Editorial Board.  During his career he has received a number of awards and honors.  He received from The American Academy of Continuing Medical Education, Dr. Franklin G.Ebaugh Jr. & Dr . Arthur Bloomfield Award for Excellence in Medical Education. He is Listed in Arab Population and Development Experts Database", PPMD, League of Arab States, since 2006.