Dubai pilots value-based healthcare

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and its health insurance regulatory body Dubai Health Insurance Corporation (DHIC) have launched an innovative digital-led programme, the EJADAH project, that is expected to form the foundation for adopting value-based healthcare in the emirate.

Through the use of technology, the emirate is keen on shifting its healthcare sector from a volume-based model to one that is more value-driven.

EJADAH will help improve government oversight of the health sector by overseeing clinical, economic and human-centric outcomes.

The model is driven by quality outcomes. It will put health consumers at the centre of the model, focus on preventive care, and reduce healthcare expenditure thus leading to healthcare sustainability.

The analytics based platform will monitor and assess a number of key performance indicators that the DHA says will lead to faster claim approvals, minimise waste of healthcare expenditure, and focus on preventive care.

The DHA is implementing policies and regulations to accelerate the development of the health sector, with patient centricity as priority.

The value-based model will improve health services and enhance preventive care that will lead to better population health and reduced healthcare expenditure.

The DHA is working with a common vision to advance the health sector in Dubai and to establish the emirate as a medical tourism hub.

A significant portion of the cost of managing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes is dedicated to managing complications rather than the disease itself. By implementing an ecosystem that focuses on preventive care and patient-centred care, this cost can be significantly reduced.

Involved in the project are a number of pharmaceutical multinationals who will be sharing expertise, insights, and global best practices to help shape the EJADAH programme.

EJADAH will incentivise improvements in value – rather than volume – through alternative payment models. It will also pave the way and inspire other territories in the region to consider similar approaches.

Insurers will be able to access evidence-based data and all stakeholders will work together to enhance healthcare and reduce unnecessary medical expenditure.

The model will pay for performance and outcomes that matter to patients and will assist healthcare service providers with evidence-based guidelines that will be a framework for doctors to follow with regard to treatment protocols for all ailments.