Expert advice allows Shalaby Laboratory to strengthen staff development
Leading fashion designers, global fruit and vegetable producers, and now high-tech medical clinics that extend affordable healthcare... Egyptian small- and medium-sized enterprises are on the front line of innovation.
The story of Shalaby Laboratory is a remarkable example. The company dates back to 1994, when it was first opened by Dr Ashraf Shalaby in Damanhour, Egypt.
Fast-forward to today and Shalaby Lab is fully equipped clinic and one of the biggest clinics in the region in terms of variety and complexity of tests.
A unique market proposition
Shalaby Lab is also uniquely positioned in the healthcare sector in Egypt. Unlike other clinics, Dr Ashraf’s laboratory brings an extensive repertoire of medical examinations and diagnostics all under one roof.
Instead of waiting for results processed in an external facility – which in some cases can take weeks – patients undergo examinations and receive results all in one go. In-house labs are therefore a game-changer in terms of their ability to provide more responsive care.
Working tirelessly every day of the year, providing quality care to more than 500 patients daily, Shalaby Lab raises healthcare services in Egypt to global standards but at the local price point.
The clinic delivers results for over 600 different medical tests, from microbial to cancer diagnostics, using state-of-the-art equipment.
“We have taken the lead in this industry by implementing high-tech equipment with automated sample analyzers supported by solid infrastructure and IT solutions,” says Dr Marwan, Dr Ashraf’s son who works in the family clinic.
Organisation breeds success
Having achieved momentum in their operations and turnover, Shalaby Lab decided to go forward with their idea of expanding the business into more clinics in Egypt’s Delta region.
But their rudimentary human resource model prevented them from managing their teams more effectively to expand the department and support their increasing operations.
Gaps in performance planning and assessment along with a lack of specific training programmes needed to be addressed before they could take their idea further.
The EBRD together with the European Union helped Shalaby Lab find the right HR specialist to advise on a cohesive strategy aligned with their lab’s objectives.
The expert reviewed the lab’s organisational structure and held separate meetings with departments to assess their individual needs.
Recalling the project’s success, Dr Marwan notes how the advisory services “opened a new horizon for me to utilise my clinic staff potentials to the maximum”.
“Establishing training programmes for staff was the extra boost we needed. Now we can guarantee that each patient, each sample, is treated exactly the same way every time by every member of our staff,” he adds.
