What will keep UAE patients at home?

An article in Arabian Business looks at the efforts being made in Dubai to keep patients from travelling abroad for treatment.The article says that a report by the Federal National Council revealed that the number of patients from the UAE who are travelling abroad for treatment has risen by up to 10 % per year. It also says another report by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) showed the total expenditure of overseas treatment by Emirati patients in 2016 was US$170 million (AED623m). It suggests reasons for this medical travel is down to both price and lack of niche and super-specialised services in the UAE.

However, the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) is encouraging investors to focus on personalised and niche service for UAE residents, in order to prevent them from seeking treatment abroad.

One of the most sought-after treatments abroad is oncology, with 24.2% of patients going overseas for cancer treatment due to limited oncology services in the UAE. So, the DHCC has set up a specialised oncology facility with Mediclinic Middle East to increase capacity in cancer care. It has also recently introduced a stem cell storage laboratory that allows for the safekeeping of master cells, for use in certain cancer treatments.

Another game changer, according to the article, is telehealth, making use of digital mobile devices to access and manage health care services remotely. DHCC’s telehealth app has apparently been rolled out at Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Centre and Mediclinic City Hospital, facilitating live medical consultations and remote patient monitoring, as well as connecting patients through tools such as video conferencing.