• The new service will increase early detection and intervention for diabetic patients at risk of retinopathy and subsequent vision loss or impairment

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, has implemented artificial intelligence (AI) at 11 of its healthcare centers for significantly faster reading and interpretation of retinal images.

In line with SEHA’s commitment to enhance patient outcomes through the latest innovations, the new service will largely benefit SEHA’s diabetic patients and facilitate early detection and intervention of retinopathy – a condition resulting in impairment or loss of vision.

As the leading provider of preventive care with a focus on prevalent chronic diseases, SEHA healthcare centers regularly conduct retinal screening for diabetic patients to detect retinopathy. In the past, retinal scans needed to be read and interpreted by ophthalmologists. Even without referring to an ophthalmologist the results were available after three days. The integration of AI means the results are now available after just three  seconds and will facilitate faster intervention.

Speaking about SEHA’s efforts in creating a tech-integrated healthcare ecosystem, Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Ambulatory Healthcare Services, said: “At SEHA, our mandate has always been to discover new ways to leverage new innovations in our pursuit of providing exceptional care to patients. As awareness and acceptance of screening increases among diabetic patients, With the increasing numbers of diabetic patients who need to be screened over the years, we invested in new technology to provide faster results. By further integrating this technology with SEHA’s electronic medical record system, Salamtak, we are building a truly unified healthcare ecosystem with patients at its core.”

Adding to this, Bader Al Qubaisi, Group Chief Information Officer at SEHA, said: “In our role as a leader in preventive care, we are constantly discovering new ways to enhance and accelerate early detection and treatment of diseases. AI is a powerful tool for the healthcare industry in improving the speed of diagnosis, and the launch of this new technology is a model example of how AI can benefit our patients. Receiving retinal scan results in a mere three seconds is a fantastic step and one that will allow for faster patient referrals to relevant subspecialities for treatment. This will not only improve patient outcomes but will also improve patient satisfaction and the continuity of care.”

The service is now available at the following healthcare centers:

City

Center Name

Abu Dhabi

Al Bahia Healthcare Center

Abu Dhabi

Al Maqtaa Healthcare Center

Abu Dhabi

Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center

Abu Dhabi

Madinat Mohamed bin Zayed Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Al Hili Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Al Jahili Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Al Muwaiji Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Al Quaa Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Al Yahar Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Mezyad Healthcare Center

Al Ain

Oud Al Touba Diagnostic & Screening Center

The retinal imaging services at SEHA are an integral part of the network’s care delivery model called Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), branded locally as Baytona Al Tebbi. The program links a patient or a family with a primary healthcare provider to keep track of their health throughout their lifespan. The purpose is to improve quality of care, decrease cost of delivering care, improve efficiency, enable care at the right organizational level and decrease low acuity Emergency Department visits. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, the program aims at providing patients with comprehensive care including coordination with tertiary care hospitals. This program ensures that patients undergo their regular screenings, especially those with chronic diseases.

To find out more about SEHA’s retinal screening services or about the PCMH program, book an appointment by calling 800 50 or visit SEHA.ae  

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About SEHA:

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. SEHA is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy. SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 3,385 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 3 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients. SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 14,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae