IN FOCUS tracting the world’s best healthcare institutions. This is a key component of the government’s health policy. HAAD has initiated a number of major improvement initiatives in the healthcare sector. The first of these was the provision of lifelong care for UAE citizens and residents allowing access to all types of healthcare services, with particular emphasis on medical issues specific to Emiratis. A drive to ensure quality and safety and enhance patient experience is the second on the list of priorities. Attracting and maintaining a knowledgeable and talented workforce is also central to the execution of HAAD’s strategic plan and involves encouraging research, innovation, education, and training in the field.
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At a macro level, priorities also include emergency preparedness in the event of a major disaster or pandemic outbreak and a public health approach to wellness and prevention. The latter includes community initiatives to enhance wellness and awareness. Most of us have seen the recent “Say no to tobacco” campaign” as well as the “Flying Angels” drive targeted at improving child passenger safety among residents. Such campaigns are instrumental in raising awareness and promoting safe and healthy lifestyles. In addition, one of the biggest changes proposed over the next five years is moving towards a world-class paperless health care e-service system in the capital. With the health system going through major growth and increasing the pressure on existing facilities, resulting in longer waiting periods, a paperless e-service system has the potential to improve customer service performance by up to 80%. Additionally, this improvement in customer relationship management also has
Issue 5 - MAY 2015
the potential to reduce costs and improve services.
Challenges and concerns in the Health Sector As Abu Dhabi continues its economic development, it has begun to experience certain lifestyle problems such development often brings with it. According to New York University, Abu Dhabi’s Public Health Research Center, The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is confronting major public health challenges in tobacco use, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. In 2012, it was reported that 36% of the adult national population were obese—33% males and 38% females—while 21% of the adult population suffer from diabetes, split 22% between males and 20% females, ranking the rate of diabetes in Abu Dhabi one of the highest in the world. The Center has begun to conduct the first cohort study in Abu Dhabi which is expected to provide unique and substantial evidence for both lifestyle and genetic determinants of common diseases in the Abu Dhabi population. Keeping up with the rising demand for health care facilities due to the rapid increase in population, estimated to exceed five million by 2030, has become one of the greatest challenges to the health care system. Currently, the population is just over 2.3 million and is growing at a rate of around eight percent per year. The vast majority of this growth is due to the influx of expats who make up approximately 79.6% of the total population as of 2013. In a 2012 survey, it was recorded that there were 4,226 operational hospital beds in Abu Dhabi. However, health officials announced that a further 1,300 would be needed by 2021 were Abu Dhabi to meet the growing demand for in-patient care. In addition to this, between 1,200 and 1,700 additional doctors
would be required to treat the increasing number of patients over the coming years. The other concern is controlling possible outbreaks of infectious diseases. MERS and the latest Ebola threats had been identified in the past, and are still considered, as serious concerns according to HAAD. Since Abu Dhabi has become a major business and tourist destination as well as a significant transit hub in the region, such an outbreak could be difficult to control and preventive measures will always be a top priority.
Key Improvement Initiatives in Healthcarea Due to increasing life expectancy, rapid population growth, and growing affluence, the UAE’s healthcare technology sector is set to experience considerable expansion in the next five years. The scale of the ongoing projects in Abu Dhabi is unprecedented in the region’s healthcare industry. Public sector investment in the health care sector is expected to grow to more than Dh12 billion this year. Many new mega hospitals are being opened both in the public and private sectors. For example, design and enabling works have been completed for the new 745-bed Mafraq Hospital and the 687-bed Al Ain Hospital. Also planned are replacements or enhancements to existing facilities such as Tawam Hospital, Al Sila, and Al Ghiathy. Upcoming Mubadala Healthcare ventures include the recently delivered Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a multi-specialty hospital built in partnership with top US-based Cleveland Clinic, which is currently phasing in its 30+ complex and critical care specialties with the goal of being fully operational by 31 May 2015.