Dubai, UAE: In a bid to provide home-bound patients with safe, quality and timely healthcare services, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) launched smart homecare technologies that would allow the homecare team to contact doctors via smart applications and devices for instant consultation.

These smart technologies also include wireless devices that are directly linked to DHA’s electronic health record system SALAMA, ensuring that patient records are updated in real-time during home visits via a secure web server.

The wireless devices include non-contact thermometers, auto-arm blood pressure monitor, 4g router, smart tablet, pulse oximeter, connected pocket electrocardiogram, blood glucose monitor, wireless stethoscope and a digital scope system.  

His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of the DHA launched the initiative on Wednesday.  

Commenting on the initiative Al Qutami said incorporating smart technologies in healthcare is an important priority as it enhances patient care, ensures better follow up and empowers patients.

He also added that the smart homecare services will reduce waiting time, incidences of complication and guaranteetimely availability of services, which is in line with the authority’s goals of achieving a healthier and happier society.

Dr Manal Taryam CEO of DHA’s Primary Health Care Sector explained that prior to the introduction of these smart technologies, all the results of patient’s examination were written on papers by nurses.

“Electronically linking the devices to Salama ensures the accuracy of data and allows healthcare specialists to keep track of patients’ overall health condition and routine health consultation or assessment from the comfort of their homes instead of having to make tiresome and tedious visit to healthcare facilities,” said Dr Taryam.

She added that nurses can also directly contact the doctor via a smart tablet for provide live feedback and support to the homecare team thus significantly reducing the waiting time for physician consultation.

“So far 1,372  clients benefited from home care services. With the introduction of the smart technologies this number is expected to increase by 50 per cent increasing efficiency of the services provided and reducing the waiting time for getting a specialist consultation from two weeks to instant real-time consultation,” said Dr Taryam.

Dr Taryam said that the implementation of smart homecare is in line with DHA Strategy 2016-2021 to protect and improve population’s health, enhance home and remote care and implement a care model innovation

“The Smart Homecare project is the first of its kind in the MENA Region to utilise wearables and IoT Devices to address the needs of the geriatric and bedridden patients. The Smart Homecare project bridges this gap between the healthcare service delivery and patient needs. It serves as a uniform solution that can be used under various home care scenarios and settings.”

By adopting this smart technology, Dr Taryam said that the DHA will be improving the quality and safety of care provided to patients and accessing  physician care more efficiently and timely hence enhancing positive patient outcomes.

“Directly linking the devices to Salama also ensures compliance to documentation, well-coordinated care, which is critically important for patients who see multiple clinicians through the computer integrated medical devices,” concluded doctor Taryam.

Benefits of adopting Smart Homecare

  • Improve quality of care, efficiency in accessing the treating physician and patient outcomes.
  • Ensures compliance to accurate documentation, integrated care, and more importantly, to the DHA quality standards.
  • Efficient utilisation of specialists services.
  • Ensuring timely and appropriate services for home care patients
  • Patient records are updated in real-time at each home visit by staff using laptops and a secure Web server. The information can then be shared between all members of the patient’s care team, while also helping staff to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Benefits of the Smart Homecare devices

  • Smart home care devices are medical grade products that works seamlessly with the designated app. Results sync instantly and automatically through Bluetooth andno device pairing is required.
  • These devices are designed to help the homecare team to track and understand the results of important health indicators, such as blood pressure, ECG, blood sugar, SPO2 and temperature
  • Data is compiled within the Bewell Connect app and results are shown color-coded red, yellow, and green according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Health care provider can see their results by day, week, month, or year to easily follow trends over time.
  • Devices are compact and easy to carry which is very helpful during the home visits.

-Ends-

About the Dubai Health Authority:

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was created, in June 2007, by Law 13 issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, with an expanded vision to include strategic oversight for the complete health sector in Dubai and enhance private sector engagement. 

Prior to the establishment of the DHA, the Department of Health and Medical Services, which was established in 1973, was the functioning authority that almost exclusively focused on health service delivery.

In May 2018, H.H Sheikh Mohammed, issued Law No. (6) Of 2018 of the DHA. The new Law further enables the DHA to achieve its objectives including regulating medical services in Dubai, enhancing competiveness and transparency, improving medical services and products based on international best practices and achieving the sector’s objectives according to approved strategic plans.

According to the Law, DHA will ensure the availability of quality medical insurance programmes, improve medical services according to the highest international standards, contribute to providing attractive infrastructure for investments, boost Dubai’s position as a global hub for medical tourism and medical education, encourage innovation in the healthcare sector and improve preventive healthcare measures.

The Law specified DHA’s responsibilities to include preparing a comprehensive strategic plan for Dubai’s healthcare sector, conducting studies and surveys to define Dubai’s future needs and matching the results with future investments, licensing and monitoring medical workers and medical facilities according to DHA’s approved regulations. Its responsibilities also include regulating medical education and medical research in collaboration with competent local and international authorities and drafting and developing policies and procedures for the healthcare sector in Dubai.

The Law authorises DHA to regulate and approve the prices of medical services offered by private healthcare facilities in Dubai and ensure the quality of medical services. DHA is also responsible for regulating and facilitating the sending of patients for specialised medical treatment to healthcare facilities both within and outside the country, regulating and overseeing medical tourism in collaboration with concerned authorities, managing and developing policies that govern medical insurance and regulating medical advertising in Dubai.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed also issued Decree No. 17 of 2018 establishing subsidiaries of the DHA: the Dubai Healthcare Corporation and Dubai Health Insurance Corporation to further enhance healthcare services in Dubai and enable DHA to fulfil its responsibilities and obligations.

Three new strategic sectors were also added as part of the decree; they include Strategy and Corporate Development, Health Regulation, and Shared Support Services.

In addition to overseeing the health sector for the Emirate of Dubai, the DHA also focuses on providing services through DHA healthcare facilities including Latifa, Dubai, Rashid and Hatta Hospitals, its 12 primary healthcare centres, 17 medical fitness centres and its 6 specialty centres.

For more information, visit DHA’s website: www.dha.gov.ae

For further information, please contact:

Mahmoud Al Ali

Kamakshi Gupta and Noor Nazzal

Head of Media

Communications Analysts- Media Dept.

Dubai Health Authority

Dubai Health Authority

myalali@dha.gov.ae

klgupta@dha.gov.ae  

nnnazzal@dha.gov.ae

+9714 219 7260

+9714 2197455

© Press Release 2018

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