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Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) today announced the first regulated telehealth platform in the free zone, launching the new service with a live consultation between a patient at Arab Health, following up with a licensed doctor in the free zone.
The initiative is in line with the Fifty-Year Charter by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, mandating ‘A Doctor to Every Citizen’, and providing citizens with doctors, specialists and medical consultants 24/7 through smart government applications.
DHCC’s telehealth application (telehealth.dhcc.ae) in partnership with GetBEE (www.GetBee.com), a technology start-up specializing in business-to-business solution, facilitates live medical consultations and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), connecting patients through tools such as video conferencing. The platform gives patients the flexibility, convenience, and reach of licensed health services from the comfort of their homes.
The World Health Organization defines telehealth as involving the use of telecommunications and virtual technology to deliver healthcare outside of traditional clinical facilities.
At Arab Health, DHCC connected a patient to a licensed clinical facility through technology. On the DHCC stand, Dr. Abdul Kader Weiss, Specialist General Surgeon, from the Emirates Specialty Hospital (ESH) in DHCC, the first clinical partner to join the platform, spoke to the model patient Raghad through videoconferencing from the hospital.
The presented case was that of a patient who underwent ultrasound tests at the hospital and wanted to follow up as she was finding it difficult to breathe and swallow. Based on the test results, Dr. Weiss reassured Raghad that the benign thyroid cyst (size of 2.5 cm) is the cause of her breathing difficulty, and that the cyst can be treated with a minor procedure without removing the entire thyroid gland.
“Innovating patient care is at the heart of DHCC’s new initiative - a regulated, virtual gateway between healthcare facilities in the free zone and patients anywhere,” said Omar Oumeish, Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, the governing body of the DHCC free zone. He added, “With the new telehealth platform, DHCC is expanding the reach of highly-qualified physicians and specialists from the free zone globally - irrespective of the location of the patient.”
According to research studies, telehealth has the potential to deliver timely care over distance, and in the case of RPM, telehealth can help patients achieve their healthcare goals, and, in some cases, lower the incidence of avoidable hospitalization for patients with chronic conditions.
In this context, Dr. Ramadan AlBlooshi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory (DHCR), emphasized the importance of regulation in telehealth. He said, “Safe delivery of quality healthcare is paramount – whether it is an in-person visit or a telehealth consultation. DHCC’s telehealth platform is regulated and compliant with data protection standards.”
He explained that healthcare operators in DHCC need a permit to provide telehealth services and only licensed healthcare professionals can provide these. Dr. AlBlooshi said, “DHCC facilities providing telehealth services are required to maintain documented policies and procedures to ensure safe practices and adhere to data protection mechanisms. In addition, DHCR conducts regular inspections to ensure compliance.”
Commenting on the partnership, Thea Myhrvold, Founder and CEO of GetBEE, said, “GetBEE is proud to support DHCC in enabling the first regulated telehealth platform in the free zone. The visionary leadership of the UAE inspires us to keep innovating around improving the lives of people and making healthcare available to everyone. Together we will bring quality healthcare to patients in an accessible, affordable and effective way.”
Ala Atari, CEO and MD, ESH, commended the new initiative. “Teleconsultation will surely enhance communication between doctors and patients. Dubai is a lively transit hub and is constantly growing, and those being treated in DHCC can connect even from their home country. Emirates Specialty Hospital is the first provider of this service in DHCC, and we will undoubtedly provide the best care to support this measure and make use of this opportunity to benefit the community and attract global patients who are seeking medical treatment in Dubai,” he said.
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