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Okadoc, the leading instant doctor appointment booking platform, announced the launch of its telemedicine solution offering across the UAE. Okadoc fast tracked the release in response to the growing need for patients to access specialist and general healthcare throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The telemedicine solution will give patients peace of mind, easy access to doctors, and a facility to make payments online for any consultations received.
As the region’s largest telemedicine platform, 38 healthcare providers have already signed on with Okadoc to provide instant access to their doctors. This includes prominent hospitals and clinics such as Emirates Hospitals & Clinics, HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers, Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, Dubai London Clinics, German Medical Center, and iCare. UAE residents are now able to set up virtual consultations with over 400 doctors to date across the country from the safety of their home.
Okadoc’s platform connects patients with doctors who are already practicing in clinics and hospitals. In doing so, patients can book an appointment with their own doctor or a doctor of their choice within minutes. Users can have a video consultation and chat electronically, transfer and receive documents such as prescriptions or medical records and pay for their consultations based on their insurance coverage. The platform includes doctors from over 40 specialties, including family medicine, paediatrics, and mental health.
“We are living in unprecedented times where there’s a greater sense of urgency for patients and doctors to be connected. We felt that it was prudent to roll out our telemedicine solution as soon as possible in the UAE and Indonesia where we are already operating, and facilitate an interactive solution for patients to communicate with doctors from the safety of their homes to get the necessary care they need,” said Fodhil Benturquia, Founder & CEO, Okadoc.
Available in both English and Arabic, the telemedicine platform is accessible across www.Okadoc.com, as well the app stores for iPhone and Android. Okadoc also provides clients with a white label solution through widgets that can be embedded into their websites and mobile applications and can be deployed in a matter of a hours, enabling healthcare providers to offer the same Okadoc experience through their own platforms.
The platform, which uses a peer-to-peer network, is quick and easy to use for doctors, and allows healthcare providers to register and go live within the same day. The platform is TRA approved, using end-to-end encryption with the cloud data hosted in the UAE, and compliant with UAE regulations. This means that doctors working from home can have instant and safe access to the platform at a time where they are not able to be present in hospitals or clinics.
It’s important to note that Okadoc is the only regional solution that is directly integrated into a provider’s hospital information system. This is key as it allows patients to book and confirm an appointment with their doctor of choice at the hospital, immediately online, at any time of the day or night.
Mr. Majd Abu Zant, Chief Operating Officer at United Eastern Medical Group, and CEO of HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers stated, “We are indeed proud to partner with Okadoc and have our facilities including Danat Al Emarat Hospital, HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi listed in this innovative platform, offering video-consultations across the UAE. This has allowed patients to attend remote consultations with their doctors, thus eliminating the need for families to leave their homes unnecessarily during this time of global uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 outbreak unless urgent care is required. To ensure a smooth onboarding process to this new platform, over 180 of our physicians and clinicians have been trained in the past two weeks to use the new solution on Okadoc’s platform.”
“Such services including our new medical delivery service ensure the continuation of care without interruption. Some of the most common specialties that use video consultations include paediatrics, internal medicine, diabetes management, chronic diseases management, women’s health, eyes problems, mental health, speech language therapy, occupational therapy and others,” Mr. Abu Zant added.
“Emirates Hospital and Clinics are happy to offer telemedicine services to our patients via Okadoc. This allows our doctors the opportunity to continue seeing patients and ensure they get the care they need. Okadoc’s technology has made healthcare accessible to everyone during this time. We look forward to using Okadoc during the current pandemic and beyond,” said Walid Achi MD, COO, Emirates Hospitals Group.
The virtual consultation costs the same as an in-house one, the difference being is that prior to making the appointment, the patients input their payment details via the payment gateway to process a pre-authorization. The claim is then processed as per the normal procedure with the insurance provider. Soon, the platform will also allow the option to pay via Apple Pay.
“At a time where most providers are experiencing a tremendous shortfall in patients’ visits, Okadoc utilizes technology to connect patients with doctors quickly on a 24/7 basis, helping transform the existing healthcare model in the region by connecting patients, doctors and healthcare providers seamlessly, removing any barriers. This allows providers to continue the spectrum of care and keep business running,” added Benturquia.
Founded in 2018 by Fodhil Benturquia, Okadoc aims to improve the healthcare experience by seamlessly connecting patients with healthcare providers and doctors. In 2019, Okadoc was named ‘Start-up of the Year’ by Arabian Business and ‘Healthcare Innovator of the Year’ at the Entrepreneur Magazine’s Agility Awards. Also last year, Okadoc was chosen to participate in Hub71's Incentive Program, a Mubadala-led initiative.
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