Dr. Anan Abbasi, Ophthalmology Specialist: Professionalism, Management and the Human Touch

An in-depth look at Dr. Anan Abbasi's resume reveals a young and ambitious man, who at the age of 45 has accomplished much more than other doctors of his age: He is a graduate of medical school and holds a master's degree in molecular genetics from the Technion in Haifa, a master's degree graduate in business administration with a specialization in health systems management from Tel Aviv University, a graduate of a leadership and change management course at the prestigious Harvard University School of Business Administration and more. In addition, he underwent specialized training in the field of cataract and laser surgery at the Rothschild Hospital in Paris.

The young ophthalmologist, born in Haifa, who currently lives with his family in Afula, was already appointed as deputy director of the Ziv Medical Center in Safed at the age of 40. Three years later, he was appointed the acting director of the medical center, after replacing Prof. Salman Zarqa, who was named as the coronavirus project director.

"I grew up in a home with a father suffering from the degenerative disease ALS. This is why I became aware of the issue of sensitivity, care and empathy in approaching people with disabilities or illnesses and the need to understand them." This is how Dr. Abbasi explains why he chose to practice medicine and what ultimately led him to progress so quickly during his career. "The doctors gave my father four years to live, but he had a type of mutation of the disease, and in the end he died at the ripe age of 80, and actually defied the statistics. In general, the Abbasi family was considered over the years to be a noble family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. My family held key positions in society even before the establishment of the state: my grandfather was an inspector in the Ministry of Education, my father's uncle was a judge and president of the Supreme Court who drafted the constitution of Jordan and my father's grandfather was the governor of Safed District. It is an enlightened and learned family, and the issue of competitiveness and the desire to be a leader and strive for excellence has always been a part of me, along with respect for others and openness to other cultures."

And it was the desire to lead and succeed that resulted in his managing an ophthalmology department already at the age of 34 and made him a senior and sought-after ophthalmology surgeon. "I chose to specialize in eyes during the rotations we did in the various departments during the last years of medical school," recalls Dr. Abbasi. "I connected to a field that suits my character: it has precision, a technological aspect and remedies that can reach patients relatively quickly. Unlike internal medicine or other departments where you have to work a lot and put in the effort with X-rays and tests, with the eyes the feedback and satisfaction is immediate, for the patient and for me. A patient can come to you with a cataract, for example , undergo surgery and start seeing."

And what does it do for you when you experience such success?
"I feel that I can reach people by working closely in the field. The idea of medicine not as a profession but as a way of life that makes it possible to work, have an impact and create change. This is what connected me to the eyes, together of course with the surgical aspect that I deal with a lot and requires great precision and hand dexterity."

Dr. Abbasi was among the first specialists in the north who worked in the field of eye genetics and hereditary eye diseases. He established and managed the eye genetics system at Bnei Zion Hospital in Haifa, in an area known for the high number of consanguineous marriages among the Arab communities.

"We conducted studies, recruited families and mapped mutations that caused hereditary eye diseases," he says. "Especially those that damage the retina. This is how we found many mutations, and for some of them we made it possible to conduct a survey and examine whether couples who want to marry within the family carry these mutations, and are at risk of giving birth to a child with an eye disease. In this way, we confirmed that they carry a certain mutation, and if research begins for a dedicated treatment for that mutation, they can begin the process without performing additional genetic tests." Thanks to Dr. Abbasi's work in the field, many families with genetic diseases have been diagnosed.

So you're actually some kind of groundbreaking researcher?
"Among the Arab population for sure, especially in the north. I managed the ophthalmology department at the French Hospital in Nazareth, where I introduced advanced surgeries and technologies that did not exist previously, such as the implantation of premium lenses for vision correction as part of cataract surgeries. I am also a graduate of the first cohort of the 'Inbar' program for a managerial reserve in medicine of the Ministry of Health and the Maoz organization, in the framework of which I studied at Harvard and Tel Aviv University – with the aim of promoting the health system in general and in the north in particular and to strengthen my management abilities and advance in the field of senior management."

Dr. Abbasi applied all of the knowledge he gained in his role as director of the Ziv Hospital during the coronavirus crisis, when he led the issue of the resilience of the hospital staff, dealt with stress management in situations of pressure and uncertainty, and proved that he successfully integrates managerial quality and great professional knowledge.

“I offer my ability to effectively manage, including releasing bottlenecks, along with extensive experience with the eyes," says Dr. Abbasi. "This is how the service experience, the technological aspect and the flow of things are appropriately handled. I find satisfaction in the field, in the ability to reach people and my tendency at the moment is to concentrate my knowledge in management and the eyes in one place, which will be a one stop shop, and will bring together all the service providers in the way I see fit accordingly to my vision."

Dr. Abbasi is greatly appreciated and loved by his patients, largely because his vision includes, among other things, helping patients deal with their fears, which is why he speaks Russian, a little Italian and Turkish, along with Arabic, Hebrew and English – so that he can speak to each patient in his own language. "As a native of multicultural Haifa, I developed empathy and understanding for those who are different from me and it was important for me to reach patients in their language," he says. "And to reach a place where I can conduct an entire conversation in another language during a clinic visit. Other important things are to make sure that I have one free hour a day, which allows me to go to the gym three times a week and also to be with my wife, Dr. Dalal Abu Amena, an international singer and neuroscientist herself, for whom I wrote her first song. Yes, I am also a poet, music producer and event producer, and a loving father of two: Laure and Hisham. How do I have time for everything? I have several principles that I have developed in management, and one of them is to learn to manage my time in the best way."

Dr. Anan Abbasi – senior ophthalmic surgeon
Phone for appointments: *2323

in collaboration with Dr. Anan Abbasi