“Panels of experts are already calling it the health capital of the world.”
It is no secret that the influence of external environmental factors such as governmental regulation or socio-economic standing plays a vital role in forming the business landscape of a region. The UAE has been undergoing major changes over the last few years, but only economically but politically and socially as well. Shifting priorities and the push towards non-oil revenue sources have increased government support for entrepreneurs. Planning to become an international player in the world of global innovation and technology – the UAE has shifted its focus towards promoting and encouraging new business ideas through incubators, conferences, funds, and visa requirements for exceptional talent. Setting up a viable business has never been easier for the nation’s entrepreneurs.
The recent introduction of the mandatory health insurance law across parts of the UAE has radically transformed the local market. An influx of innovators looking to offer value in new and unique ways has made its way into the industry, in hopes of capturing a piece of the rapidly growing pie that is the UAE health insurance market.
Dubai is Set to Become the “Health Capital of the World”
“As per 2016 statistics, just under eighty percent of the hospitals in Dubai are internationally accredited.”
The joint commission international or JCI for short, is a non-profit organization based out of the US that accredits hospitals around the world that adhere to the utmost highest standards of quality medical care. The Zaabeel primary health care center only recently received the accreditation – making the Dubai Health Authority the body with the most JCI accredited hospitals in the world.
This is in line with the recently announced Dubai Health Strategy 2016-2021 – an initiative that aims to establish Dubai as a main medical destination in the wider region. The strategy, aiming to revamp the health sector, features four main approaches, six objectives, fifteen programmes and ninety-three initiatives, to achieve the leap required over the next five years – with over 11,000 DHA employees participating in the drafting of the strategy. The four approaches include health and lifestyle, excellence in providing service, smart health care, and governance.
Tech-Innovations in the Health Sphere Proving Revolutionary.
With technology proving to be a disruptive innovator across nearly every sector, it was only a matter of time before the UAE health insurance industry witnessed a massive tech integration phenomenon. From minor added-value innovations to massive tech advancements such as 3D printed prosthetics, technology is embedding itself within the health sector.
The DHA recently announced the implementation of Salama, an electronic medical record system that will be rolled out this year. This marks the transformation of medical services throughout the UAE by re-engineering and unifying 25 applications through a single interface. The records system will bring together information about radiology, laboratory, dental, dietetics and so on under one single system. Salama will not only benefit patients by providing them with online access to their medical records but also improve patient outcomes by ensuring the electronic patient file follows the patient across the DHA network of health facilities. It will provide real-time alerts, warnings and flags to draw attention to changes in the patient medication or patient condition. Moreover, allergy warnings will always be displayed on the screen which directly results in minimising any medication errors.
Health insurance comparison platforms have allowed insurance-seekers to shop for insurance the way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel bookings. Mobile platforms have allowed users to use and interact with their Dubai health insurance policies through their smartphones. Moreover, it vastly enhances customer satisfaction as by using just one card, as opposed to carrying many pieces of plastic, residents can conduct a range of transactions more speedily.
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