The healthcare sector in Dubai is undergoing evolution on the back of rapid advancements in technology, research and development (R&D) in line with the global and regional trends. However, healthcare providers and professionals are grappling with several challenges concurrently, such as patients becoming customers and the patient care changing to “fee for quality” rather than “fee for service”.

Moreover, the demand profile is also changing from provision of more beds at general hospitals to specialised hospitals, daycare surgical centres and Centre of Excellence (COE) and from curative care to preventive care.

The Dubai healthcare market over the years has become very competitive, but still offer ample opportunities for operators and investors. However, the successful growth of the healthcare sector in Dubai will be dependent upon embracing, developing and adopting new technologies and innovations founded on global research and development (R&D) producing data driven, patient-centric and result oriented healthcare. The key factors that make Dubai’s healthcare market attractive are:

Population growth rate

According to the latest data of Dubai Statistics Center, the current population of Dubai at end of Q3 2019 stands at 3.348 million, compared to 3,136,400 inhabitants by the end of the third quarter of 2018 with an annual increase of 177,020 people to stand at a growth rate of 5.64 per cent. Between 2010 – 2019, the population of Dubai grew at a Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.65 per cent.

Based on Colliers International projections, under Base Case scenario, the population is expected to grow by 5 per cent for 2019-2020; 4 per cent between 2010-2025 and then increasing by 3 per cent between 2026-2030, reaching to 4.72 million by 2030. Whereas in high case scenario based on historical growth rate of 6.65 per cent (2010-2018), the population is expected to reach 5.87 million.

Fig 1: Project Population Dubai 2030

Source: Dubai Statistic Center (DSC); Dubai Health Authority (DHA); Colliers International Analysis 2020

 

Impact on demand for healthcare in Dubai

Demand for number of beds, based on current ratio of 1.48 beds/1,000 population, Dubai will require additional 2,254 beds to 3,950 beds. However, the current overall occupancy of 54.5 per cent at hospital beds in well below optimal level of 75 per cent. Based on Colliers estimates, the demand for additional beds by 2030 at 75 per cent occupancy level will be in the range of 511 beds to 1,783 beds. Even the Dubai Health Investment Guide 2019 identifies an overall demand of 1,614 additional beds by 2030.

The focus should be on providing beds for those specialties where there is gap of not just general hospital beds. As highlighted in the Dubai Health Investment Guide 2019, Figure 2 and 3 present speciality wise gap for acute care beds in Dubai by 2030.

Fig 2: Demand Gap for Beds by Speciality 2030 – Total Demand 2,031 Beds

Source: Dubai Statistic Center (DSC); Dubai Health Authority (DHA); Colliers International Analysis 2020

Fig 3: Over-Supply for Beds by Speciality 2030 – Total Over-Supply 417 Beds

Dubai Statistic Center (DSC); Dubai Health Authority (DHA); Colliers International Analysis 2020

As presented in Figure 4, over 70 per cent of the total population of Dubai lies between 25 – 60 years of age group and gradually the trends indicate a slowly ageing population in the Emirate.

Fig 4: Dubai Population by Gender and Age 2018

Various studies have revealed that Ambulatory/Day Care surgeries are driven by the young and middle-aged population and the demand for these services starts at the age of 10 – 15 years (in case of ENT and Urology) and peaks around 45-50 years, depending on the specialty. Particularly, for a day care surgery centre, the age group of 10 to 65 years forms the most significant clientele, however, there is no limitation criteria in terms of a patient’s age.

The rationale for this is that below 10 years, the frequency of surgical procedures is relatively low while above 65 years, patients would prefer to visit a hospital with backup critical care facilities as the risk of complications is higher.

Increasing incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and rise of lifestyle diseases in the region

The prevalence of lifestyle related diseases has increased in the UAE due to the sedentary lifestyle of the population, lack of nutritional food choices, tobacco smoking, and obesity. The UAE has the highest prevalence of diabetes in the MENA region, with 19.5 per cent, followed by Saudi Arabia, with 16.7 per cent (in the 20-79 age group). In the UAE, almost 90 per cent of deaths are caused by chronic lifestyle related diseases and injuries. The lifestyle habits/diseases are also causing rise in cancer rates.

The rise in chronic diseases will increase on the one hand along with the demand for clinical laboratory services required in the diagnosis of these diseases (e.g. Endoscopy, Laparoscopy, Cancer Screening etc.), but most of the procedures relating to treatment of these diseases can be performed in daycare set-up. Moreover, the rise in chronic diseases requires specialised treatment centres instead of treating at general hospitals, thus creating demand for Centre of Excellence (COE).

Medical tourism

A key focus area for Dubai is to promote the development of medical tourism in the city, and position the Emirate as a global health tourism destination. Based on the latest data available from DHA, over 337,000 health tourists were welcomed in Dubai in 2018, generating over AED 1.2 billion in total healthcare revenue. DHA’s objective is to attract over 500,000 health tourists by 2020. Dubai Health Experience (DXH) was launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, as a continuation of ‘Dubai, a Global Destination for Medical Tourism.

Looking at the key treatments sought by medical tourists, the main treatments are orthopaedics, sports medicine, dermatology and skin care, dentistry and fertility. Most of them are either performed in a daycare surgical set-up or CoE, moving away the demand from traditional hospitals.

Increasing demand for daycare surgical centre and centre of excellence

On an overall basis, there is an increasing demand for day-care surgical centre and CoE in Dubai. There are a number of reasons for this, such as the constantly developing technology in the medical fields that has resulted in improved diagnostics, advancements in new surgical techniques, anaesthesia administration and enhanced postoperative care. The direct correlation seen across the globe and particularly in the developed world has seen a significant increase in daycare surgeries.

A study by The Audit Commission of Department of Healthcare in England and Wales shows that daycare surgeries as percentage of total surgeries for both elective and non-elective surgeries has increased from 7 per cent in 1974 to 35 per cent in 2015. In 2013/14, 78 per cent of total elective surgeries were daycare, which is expected to increase to 87 per cent by 2023/24.

Analysing the distribution of operations by specialty in Dubai in the private sector, minor surgeries comprise a large part of the total surgeries. These consist of Oral and Maxillofacial, Circumcision, LASIK, Paediatrics Surgery, Lithotripsy, Vascular Surgery and ENT Surgery.

The data reveals that 53 per cent of the emergency surgeries and 56 per cent of scheduled surgeries performed in various specialties in the private sector are minor surgeries that can be performed on an out-patient/daycare surgeries, which though currently performed in inpatient facilities, can be done much more efficiently as a day care procedure with much lower turnaround time.

Based on a study conducted by Colliers Healthcare Team in early 2019, in Dubai, over 40 per cent of total surgeries are day surgeries. Interviews with healthcare operators indicate that over 60 per cent of total surgeries can be performed under daycare set-up, thus offering tremendous opportunities for improvement. Moving towards daycare surgeries will not only reduce significant capital cost due to requirement of fewer hospital beds, but also will be cost efficient. As based on the UK study quoted earlier, the average daycare cost was £698, compared to the average elective inpatient cost of £3,375. The continual growth of the insurance market will also add impetus to preference for daycare treatment.

In conclusion, the demand profile for healthcare services are changing from provision of more beds at general hospitals to specialised hospitals, daycare surgical centres and COE and from curative care to preventive care, which offers a number of opportunities for operators and investors to set-up less costly daycare surgical centre and Centre of Excellence to cater to growing demand for healthcare services in Dubai.

Technology has the power to transform healthcare and this is no different in the health investment space. Today, the challenge for health systems and technology providers is to design their technology in a matter that facilitates seamless integration into clinical workflows. This is the direction they are moving towards to allow technology and advanced analytics to support clinical care pathways, hospital efficiency and reduce workflow of health professionals and hospital management. Investment in healthcare is all set to completely adapt to meet changing technologies and cater to the diverse demographics.

In an interview with Omnia Health Magazine, HE Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), says: “Innovation is undoubtedly a force of transformation and often smart technology and innovation go hand-in-hand. In the last few years, we have strategically placed a lot of focus on innovation and smart technology in the health sector in Dubai.

“We now have five smart robotic pharmacies across the DHA network of health facilities and hospitals. We launched an innovative home-delivery system for medications for DHA patients known as ‘Dawaee.’ We now have in place a robust Smart Home Care project, which 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 project bridges the gap between healthcare service delivery and patient needs using smart technology. From 300 patients almost two years ago to more than 1,300 patients in 2018, the rise in demand for this service has been multi-fold. Incorporating smart technologies in healthcare is an important priority as it enhances patient care, ensures better follow-up and empowers patients.”

Additionally, the DHA regularly carries out proof of concepts with cutting-edge technology firms through the Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA) project. In fact, the authority has successfully adopted technologies such as 3D printing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the health system.

For instance, the DHA works in close collaboration with the private sector and has jointly successfully worked on projects such as 3D prosthetics. It has also successfully carried out surgeries using 3D printed assistance and has introduced this technology in its dental services department.

Furthermore, the DHA run Dubai Diabetes Centre has recently completed a proof of concept project for the implementation of AI to detect diabetic retinopathy. The project is currently in the implementation phase and will be introduced across the Dubai Diabetes Centre, 13 DHA primary healthcare centres and certain DHA hospitals. The DFA team collaborates with both DHA (government) hospitals and health centres as well as the private sector to implement the latest technologies in the health sector in Dubai. “In the future, we will continue our foray into the use and implementation of technology not only for improved patient care but also across the health chain. For example, using coding and AI to improve the billing process. We strongly encourage innovation and continuous medical education and our doctors are encouraged to seek higher education as well as implement the latest technologies into their field of expertise,” the Director-General adds.

Dynamic health insurance system

Dubai has achieved its goal of ensuring essential health cover for all Dubai visa holders and almost 99 per cent of the population now has access to mandatory health insurance. The Emirate has 47 insurance companies that are licensed by the DHA, of which 12 are Participating Insurers that provide Essential Benefit Policies (EBP) for low-income workers.

Al Qutami highlights: “As the market matures, we want to continue to enhance benefits for every insured member, add preventive screening programmes, encourage employers to look beyond insurance for the wellness of their employees and at the same time provide an environment that supports the growth and maturity of the health insurance sector.

“According to our e-claims data from January to September 2019, the gross claims are worth AED12.2 Billion. We have 7,752 healthcare providers – this includes group and single facilities, there are 75 plus insurance companies and TPA’s and over 12,280 insurance products. In terms of claims, electronic claims were 26.8 million, electronic prescriptions were 6.42 million, submitted claims activity was 87.7 million and 25,603 were physician claiming.”

Recently, the DHA introduced screening and treatment for three types of cancers under the Basmah initiative. It also introduced screening and treatment for hepatitis C. To date, 100 enrolled patients have benefited from the cancer screening and 14 have been enrolled in HCV patient support programme of which seven have completed treatment successfully.

Both these programmes are aimed to benefit lower salary band workers, as the programmes are available for EBP holders. EBP is available for a fixed index rate for employees who earn Dh4,000 monthly or lower in salaries and their dependents; the premium ranges between Dh550 and Dh700 annually.

The maximum coverage per policy is Dh150,000. For an additional cost of Dh18 for hepatitis C and Dh19 for Basmah, EBP policyholders are provided with additional coverage for three types of cancer — breast, colorectal and cervical — as well as hepatitis C. The Basmah initiative for cancer treatment begins when the policyholder has exhausted this limit. The coverage plan is similar for hepatitis C and includes screening and treatment. This initiative is in line with the World Health Organisation’s goal to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030.

“In order to promote early screening and management of diseases, we have also added screening services for diabetes, heart disease, new-born and developmental screening as part of the mandatory health insurance cover. This ensures that we detect diseases early on, which provides a possibility for better treatment outcomes, fewer complications and it reduces to cost of care to the economy.

“On one hand, we want to focus on building an enhanced health insurance system and the provision of specialised services; on the other, we want to raise public health awareness particularly about prevention of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs). We want to encourage employers to create a work culture that promotes healthy habits so that together we create a culture of preventive health,” concludes Al Qutaimi.  

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a huge mandate at the recent general election for his Brexit deal, setting the country on a new course. The UK’s looming departure from the regional bloc after 46 years means that Britain is in search of new sources of trade, influence and alliances. Given its growing influence, the Middle East will be a natural focus for Boris Johnson and his new government as we start looking beyond Europe.

It is therefore no surprise that 155 UK companies will be attending this year’s Arab Health – the 45th edition of this growing event – with UK Ministers and representatives also leading a significant trade delegation. From speaking to clients in the life sciences sector, the focus will be on selling British firms’ expertise to meet the growing Middle East demand for quality healthcare.

This is driven by challenges such as aging populations, rising life expectancy and clinical workforce shortages – as well as increasing interest in cutting edge technology. With healthcare and innovation top priorities for Johnson and his Government, now is the time for UK MedTech companies to really demonstrate their value, both to patients and healthcare systems across the globe.

UK MedTech companies have been steadily growing their footprint in the Middle East and the latest figures indicate that there were nearly £190 million of UK health exports – making it the second biggest region after China. It will therefore remain a key market for UK exporters seeking to maintain their position as world-class leaders in healthcare, medical devices and particularly digital technologies, as the demand for AI continues to grow – with healthcare systems striving to find new ways to increase efficiencies.

It is clear that the UK needs trade deals and must chart a course between the EU and US. That brings opportunities for many MedTech companies in particular, but understanding how the UK will redefine its relationships with the EU and the US through trade talks will be critical. This is something we are increasingly being asked about by companies both big and small and I am sure Brexit will be a key topic of discussion at Arab Health this year.

I look forward to discussing these issues in more detail with colleagues from Lexington, during our presentation at this year’s Arab Health on Tuesday 28 January, from 9:15am in the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) UK Pavilion. 

Paul McGrade, is a former EU policy adviser to two British Prime Ministers and now Senior Counsel at Lexington Communications, one of the UK’s leading strategic consultancies. An EU lawyer and expert on UK and European trade policy. Paul advises global businesses and organisations on trade and post-Brexit regulation. 

The 45th edition of Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, taking place from January 27 to 30 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and Conrad Dubai Hotel, is all set to provide a platform to the world’s leading manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to meet the medical and scientific community in the Middle East and the subcontinent.

Organised by Informa Markets, Arab Health 2020 is hosting over 4,250 exhibiting companies, representing 159 countries, and will feature 14 Continuing Medical Education (CME) conferences, with 55,000 attendees expected to visit the show. The four-day event is renowned for connecting manufacturers and service providers with clinicians, procurement professionals, dealers and distributors.

From state-of-the-art imaging equipment to the most cost-effective disposables; developments in surgery to advances in prosthetics, Arab Health continues to be at the heart of healthcare in the Middle East.

As the largest collection of healthcare product manufacturers and service providers under one roof, the event is a one-stop shop for all healthcare sourcing and procurement needs. At the free to visit show, attendees can explore over thousands of products from more than 66 countries.

Furthermore, accompanying the exhibition is a number of business, leadership and CME conferences and workshops providing the very latest updates and insights into cutting edge procedures, techniques and skills.

Showcasing disruptive technologies

A recent report by Arab Health titled “The Future Of Health Information Technology and The Internet Of Medical Things” highlighted that the value of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) global market was valued at US$41.2 billion in 2017 and is expected to increase to US$158.1 billion in 2022, according to ‘Markets & Markets’. In the MENA region, the figure is expected to increase from US$2 billion to US$9 billion during the same period, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 35 per cent.

“The IoMT refers to connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications and health systems services, which have grown in the prominence of supporting clinical decisions, reducing incorrect diagnosis, and improving quality of services through the management of chronic diseases and monitoring of hospitalised patients,” said Ross Williams, Exhibition Director of Arab Health.

As part of the 2020 edition of Arab Health, the Innovation Hub will return after its successful inauguration at last year’s show. It will showcase several of the disruptive technologies in the IoMT ecosystem including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), mobile device accessories, smart watches, fitness trackers and applications, disease management devices, health monitors, home care devices and telemedicine devices, to name a few.

The Innovation hub will also feature a startup zone, providing local and international startups the opportunity to display and demonstrate new products and innovations that are shaping the future of healthcare. Located within the central Plaza Hall, companies will display and demonstrate their new products and innovations that will contribute to shaping the future of healthcare.

Over 35 companies have already confirmed their participation in this segment of the show, and include Sharjah-based Nabta Health, a tech-driven company that address gaps in women’s health by integrating digital health components into traditional care pathways to improve clinical outcomes; Balsam United, a Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) provider based in Saudi Arabia; and Seers Technology, a remote patient monitoring solution provider for the global digital health markets, with headquarters in South Korea.

This year will also see the return of the Innov8 Talks segment, where eight SME’s and entrepreneurs for each day of the show will have eight minutes to present their latest ground-breaking healthcare ideas. The final day of the exhibition will see winners from each day ‘pitch off’ to investors, with Amazon, Raiven Capital and Microsoft already confirmed.

Moreover, patient experience towards ‘digitalisation in healthcare and enhancing the patient experience through digital health’ will form the basis of discussion at the newly launched Patient Experience conference, with a focus on empowering the patient to make better decisions, and in turn, implementation of an efficient and stronger healthcare system.

The sessions will be delivered by Dr. Ramadan Alblooshi, Chief Regulatory Office, Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Dr. Tamara Sunbul, Strategic Planning, Performance Mgmt. & Business Development Office, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare based in Saudi Arabia.

Workshops and Forums

The training and workshop programmes at Arab Health are going to be led by the leaders in the healthcare industry. These sessions will focus on advanced techniques of the latest state-of-the-art equipment across different modalities such as Safety Innovations in the OR, Ultrasound – Liver and Ultrasound MSK & Small Parts, Cardiology, Bariatric & Colorectal Surgeries and many more.

The Clinical Value of AI & Intelligent Imaging Solutions workshop, taking place at Conrad Dubai Hotel, Khasifa Room, level 2, during the Total Radiology Conference, will focus on Canon Medical’s aims to improve healthcare by providing solutions that allow medical professionals to determine the most effective treatment strategies for their patients by generating, integrating and processing all types of essential clinical information.

This workshop will inform the attendees of the latest clinical and workflow innovations within the Canon Medical Healthcare IT solutions, including Vitrea 3D/4D advanced visualisation systems, AI solutions, Global Illumination rendering – and the clinical experience and patient workflow benefits of these solutions in routine clinical practice. Participants will learn about the benefits of Canon’s Collaborative imaging solution including the delivery of integrated intelligence in every step of the patient’s care journey.

While the theme of the Ultrasound Masterclass – Liver, MSK & Small Parts, also part of the Total Radiology Conference and taking place at Conrad Dubai Hotel, Khasifa Room, level 2, is “Liver Package as a Clinical Solution in the Daily Routine”, which includes new and unique tools to assist diffuse liver diseases diagnosis from several important aspects, such as stiffness by using Shear wave Elastography to measure the level of fibrosis, or analysing the tissue viscosity by using Dispersion mode, plus quantifying the liver steatosis level by using Attenuation Imaging, then presenting results in a final report with all related diagnostic ultrasound parameters.

The Roche Women’s Health Symposium, taking place on January 28 at Al Maryah, Level 4, Conrad Dubai, will focus on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, also referred to as Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) that has dramatically changed prenatal care. It allows for highly accurate screening for foetal trisomies in twin pregnancies and its performance is similar to that reported in singleton pregnancies and is superior to that of the first-trimester combined test or second-trimester biochemical testing.

Moreover, the first-ever Healthcare Investment Forum, taking place between 29-30 January, will be the place for influential players who are driving a change in healthcare, and investors who are fuelling that change. This forum is the arena to stimulate more investment, change and learning in the healthcare system in the UAE and the region.

While the free-to-attend Healthcare Infrastructure Forum is a new introduction to Arab Health, offering updates from key industry leaders in the fields of infrastructure, spanning the lifecycle of a healthcare facility; from vision through to the design and build, management and operation.

For more information visit www.arabhhealthonline.com

In the coming years, Medical Tourism is expected to make significant advances with intra-country and intra-regional health-related travel activities. Several factors make international travel appealing such as the significant savings and high quality of care that it offers.

Most medical tourists are people aged between 45-70 and are from places where healthcare costs have exploded in recent years. This includes people from Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S.

At present, there are more than 50 countries that participate in medical tourism with developing nations from Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa capturing a major segment. The competition is based on cost, quality, care, and tourism activities that each of these destinations offers.

Today, Asia Pacific dominates global medical tourism in terms of market share. Availability of high-tech equipment and growing government funding in the region is likely to continue to drive market growth. For example, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea continue to thrive as the medical tourism destinations of choice.

Furthermore, Latin America is anticipated to show a lucrative growth. Mexico and Brazil are anticipated to be the prime locations for medical tourism in the region. Companies here are also investing more towards the development of hospitals that are in-sync to U.S. standards.

Meanwhile, Europe is also expected to establish itself as a contender for a top medical tourism destination in the coming period owing to the rapid development of facilities in the Central and Eastern Europe.

Previously, the U.S. was an important location for obtaining medical treatment for international patients. However, increasingly comprehensive visa requirements have reduced the count in the past couple of years.

Medical tourism hub

The UAE is becoming a popular destination for medical tourism. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has reported that Orthopaedics, Dermatology and Ophthalmology are the main types of medical treatments attracting tourists to Dubai, with most coming from Asian (37 per cent) or other Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (31 per cent) countries. Many people come to Dubai for infertility treatment too.

Moreover, Dubai Healthcare City is positioning itself as a leading medical tourism destination and it works with industry players to attract more medical tourists from around the world. It occupies a space of more than 20 million square feet, attracting major American corporations and other institutions as key partners in numerous fields, such as pharmaceuticals.

Growth momentum behind medical tourism in the UAE is expected to continue over the years. The upcoming Expo 2020 and continued development of the healthcare sector are projected to drive sector growth in the near future, in addition to Dubai government’s target of attracting reportedly more than 500,000 medical tourists by 2020. The same number of medical tourists are also expected from within.

By 2020, Dubai is also reportedly expected to have around 34 pharmaceutical and medical equipment plants. With the value of the private pharmaceutical industry in the UAE currently estimated to be AED 5.9 billion, it is expected to reach AED 25 billion in 2025. The country also has a large number of accredited health organisations by the JCI.

The market is seeing a shift in demand from general hospitals towards specialty hospitals, such as Orthopaedic, long-term care and mother and child facilities. Prominent examples of such establishments are Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery and Medcare Women and Child Specialist Hospital.

As per the medical tourism index, Dubai continues to strengthen its position as a medical tourism destination, ranking 1st in MENA and 16th globally. This also includes the creation of initiatives such as the Dubai Health Experience (DXH) – the first medical tourism portal in the world that allows tourists to book their entire ‘medical holiday’ online, right from the procedure to flights and hotel.

Abu Dhabi is also establishing a medical tourism network to attract and serve patients from Russia, China and India. The growth of medical tourism bodes well for the expansion of the healthcare sector.

Sandier pastures

Within the UAE is Ras Al Khaimah, a safe and well-developed emirate north of Dubai with friendly people, natural landscapes and beautiful beaches. The emirate is home to RAK Hospital, a unit of Arabian Healthcare Group, which has established itself as one of the UAE’s most acclaimed private hospitals. Once you step into the premises, rest assured you can leave your worries behind, as you will immediately notice premium healthcare seamlessly merging with hospitality to provide true holistic care. The hospital has world-renowned medical professionals working in state-of-the-art infrastructure to ensure that a patient’s well-being is in trusted hands.

The hospital has a number of mechanisms in place to build itself as a medical tourism destination of choice and works tirelessly in defined markets to facilitate referral cases. For instance, in Nigeria, the hospital has tie-ups with hospitals and clinics in Abuja and Lagos, as well as with local insurance companies and corporate banks.

While in Ethiopia it has initiated tie-ups with key doctors and clinics in Addis Ababa and has tied-up with Ethiopia Armed Forces Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. The hospital is also hoping to tap into Ghana, Kuwait and Iraq.

The International Patient Experience at RAK Hospital comprises the following steps:

1. Get in touch: Contact RAK Hospital’s International Patient Desk via email: mail@rakhospital.com or phone: +971 7207 4444

2. Send your medical history: To assess your treatment, we encourage you to send us the results of your tests, i.e. angiography, or echocardiogram, MRI, CT Scans or the other documents for the further review and evaluation.

3. Online consultation or tailor making your treatment: Our doctors start by assessing your medical history and existing condition and will discuss the following:

– The best treatment for you.

– New surgical, minimally invasive techniques, ensuring reduced hospital stay and recovery.

– Physical therapy programmes for your speedy recovery.

– Making your flight back home pain-free and comfortable.

4. Arrange your trip: You can start to arrange your flight tickets. A visa to the UAE will be provided by RAK Hospital on submission of your passport copy and recent size photograph.

5. Arrival: An English-speaking RAK Hospital Representative will meet you at Dubai/Abu Dhabi/RAK/Sharjah Airport and transfer you to RAK Hospital.

6. Pre-Op/ Procedure check-up: The first examination will take place the next morning (general examination, ECG, echocardiogram, laboratory test, exercise, test).

7. Procedure: You will undergo the required procedures/treatments performed by a team of specialist doctors.

8. Post OP: After the treatment, you will stay the prescribed days of stay in hospital with one attendant (choice).

9. Leave to your country.

10. Medical Follow up. 

Laila Al Jassmi, the former CEO of Health Policy & Strategy of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), has played an instrumental role in transforming the city’s health sector. In fact, she laid the foundation of Dubai’s ambition to become a medical tourism hub.

In an interview, she says: “When I was at the DHA, I led a reform in 2007 to transition from being just a service provider to be more of a regulatory and strategic authority. I have also led the healthcare financing system for the Emirate of Dubai in 2009, which has today matured into the health insurance model for the city. One of my other initiatives for the DHA was gearing up for Medical Tourism. I started the initiative in 2012 and presented it to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, who gave his blessing to the project. I am so proud of my colleagues at the DHA who have been able to scale the initiative to such massive proportions.”

Driving medical tourism

Having been associated with the UAE healthcare market for over 10 years and observing what’s happening internationally, Al Jassmi feels that the UAE can’t yet be compared to other medical tourism destination countries because of the way the healthcare services have been set up in the country.

“Abu Dhabi is driving medical tourism initiatives at the government level, while Dubai started that earlier. However, I believe that the government can do a lot more and learn from the experience of other top medical travel destinations. For instance, a destination country such as India or Jordan might not have enough monetary resources, but they have done a lot in terms of raising awareness in order to position themselves as the go-to destination for medical tourism in their neighbouring countries,” she highlights.

According to Al Jassmi, the UAE, Dubai or Abu Dhabi, can do a lot from the governmental perspective. “The private providers are very smart in the UAE and know how to market themselves. They know how to approach different countries and attract patients. But when it comes to legislative or collaboration between different related stakeholders, the private providers can’t do that and require the support of the government. It is a full circle that we need to look at right from the Department of Residency to the Department of Foreign Affairs, from the hospitality sector to the airline industry,” she says. “When I say airline, I am not talking about the different packages they can offer to support private providers. I am looking more at the privilege they can give to the medical tourist. We need to look at, for example, what are Royal Jordanian or Turkish Airlines doing for medical tourists.”

The health authority continuously does a lot of research, for instance in markets such as Nigeria and Kenya, and supports both the public and private sector so that they can attract international patients and looks at collaborating with health providers in Africa. She emphasises that some private players in the UAE have gone out of their way and been able to enter and make a mark in the African healthcare market. For example, RAK Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, has a satellite clinic in some countries in the continent, while Saudi German Hospital has also carried out certain initiatives in China and Africa.

“There are private providers who have taken several steps to attract international patients. There are also a lot of equity firms also who have invested in African countries. So, you need to build up key ties in order to attract medical tourism,” she says. “If we want to bring international patients to our shores, we have to look into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and telemedicine in order to facilitate round-the-clock communication between the patient and physician. We have seen a lot of big healthcare providers in the UAE investing in these technologies and have even seen the health authorities in the UAE update their regulations in order to facilitate these innovations.”

Laila Al Jassmi

 

Growth strategy

Al Jassmi started Health Beyond Borders, an SME in 2013 when she left the DHA. She shares: “I am passionate about the healthcare market as this is where I have my experience and knowledge. I found that there are not many UAE nationals working in strategic and investment spheres of the healthcare industry and I wanted to pursue that. I have been approached by a lot of international companies, equity firms, private providers and even health providers globally who wanted to understand the healthcare market from the perspective of a UAE national. I am very proud that I have been able to work with a number of equity firms, internationally, based outside the UAE and within the region, and have been able to do a lot of market research analysis for them and have been working with several firms as an advisor.”

She feels that currently, the healthcare industry has been seeing an oversupply of services where the demand is not huge. “The competition between the different providers is healthy but when it comes with oversupply, unfortunately, that is not healthy. We know that the market is going to clear itself, but it will create a lot of pitfalls and could damage high quality of service providers if this practice continues. I believe the government has to initiate a lot of strategic planning for the healthcare market in the future. This is very much important in order to sustain the healthcare market.”

One of the factors that have driven the healthcare market since the last five years in Dubai, Al Jassmi explains, is that the Emirate introduced the health insurance system, and this helped the healthcare market to grow. “But now with the oversupply of the healthcare services, it has created a lot of drawback to some of the good players. There have also been some challenges between the insurance providers and third-party administrators. Therefore, the regulator has a lot to do and we are expecting a good outcome in another year or two.”

Al Jassmi’s advice to Emirati’s interested in working in the healthcare space is to be passionate about what they pursue. “If you are passionate, you can glow and grow in what you are doing,” she concludes.India, and Pakistan and 16 per cent from Europe, including Italy, the UK, and France led the ranks from Europe. Some countries from the Africa region are also steadily becoming a source market. Health tourists come to Dubai mostly for wellness, dental, and orthopaedic treatments.

According to a recent report by the Global Burden of Disease study published by the medical journal The Lancet, the quality of healthcare services in Finland are among the best globally. The country’s modern hospitals, private clinics and top specialists’ welcome patients of all ages, from around the world, and are known to provide a comprehensive range of high-quality medical services that are reasonably priced. The country also frequently features high in the list of the leading countries in terms of quality of life and also topped the recent World Happiness Report.

Plus, Finland boasts the cleanest air you can breathe in the world, and tourists here can explore exciting activities such as Northern Light spotting, enjoying the Midnight Sun, husky and snowmobile safaris, trying out the famous Finnish city saunas, or taking a trip to Santa Claus village. All this and more makes Finland an ideal destination to rest and recuperate.

In an interview, Maarit Haavisto-Koskinen, Executive Director of Medical Tourism Association Finland, said: “According to our national vision, Finland will grow as a leading medical tourism destination among the Nordic countries by 2023. Our goal is to become one of the most popular health destinations in Europe. The vision is stated in the strategy of the Medical Tourism Association Finland.”

She highlighted that Finland has estimated the value of international medical tourists’ expenditures to approximately 15 million Euros annually. The country doesn’t systematically collect statistics about international medical tourists by nationalities. However, patients from Finland’s neighbouring country, Russia, are among the majority of international medical tourists visiting the country. “Finland has been a popular leisure travel destination for Russian citizens for several decades, and they are now finding the country as the go-to for medical travel. Also, cancer patients from Sweden make a significant share among international medical tourists,” she added.

Highlighting health tech

Furthermore, Finland boasts a rapidly growing ecosystem for health start-ups. The country has continuously implemented a health sector growth strategy that focuses on health technology and building a coherent ecosystem for biomedical research and innovation, digital health and personalised medicine. One such innovation is Medanets, a Finnish software company developing a mobile point-of-care solution for caregivers to be used inside hospitals and healthcare centres. With the solution, nurses can browse and record patient data real-time via smart device while with the patient. Data is transferred directly into the Electronic Health Record of the hospital. The app can perform well in dead spots (out of wi-fi coverage) and with interrupted connections (offline capabilities).

Veli Juola, Chief Operating Officer, Medanets said: “We are not bringing the customer a discrete new system to run parallel with all the other systems, but one that integrates with the customer’s existing electronic health record/medical record systems (EHR). Thus, allowing the EHR systems to be used more easily, effectively and safely. So far, we have integrated our solution to six leading EHR systems in the Nordics. We have existing partnerships with EHR players such as TietoEvry, CGI, CGM and Cerner and are working in cooperation with them especially in the Nordics. As of today, we have around 35 hospitals and several health care centres as our customers.”

He further said that the company is continuously developing the app so that it can have more functionalities, such as patient medication browsing and administration, which is one of the latest features that is set to bring additional value to customers and improve patient safety.

“We are also looking for new export possibilities in Europe and also outside Europe,” Juola said. “We visited Arab Health 2019 and found out that there are similar needs as here, so it is an interesting market area for us.”

Pioneering treatments

Treating cancer is becoming more individualised thanks to the development of new pharmaceuticals and treatment techniques, for example, in the field of radiotherapy. The cornerstone of individual treatments lies in the diagnostics and treatment planning. At the moment, genetic testing is increasing rapidly, especially when planning treatment for cancer patients. With the help of the genetic test results, it is now becoming possible to choose the right medicines and avoid drugs with low treatment response and harmful side effects.

Finland’s Docrates Cancer Center makes use of the knowledge of both the human genome and the cancer genome in its treatments. The Center is located in the hub of the Finnish Capital Helsinki and its seaside facilities are designed for patient-centred care. It receives almost 40 per cent of its patients come from abroad – mostly from Nordic and Baltic countries and Russia.

Dr. Tom Wiklund, Docrates Chief Clinical Director and Specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiotherapy, said: “We use several different genetic and other kinds of tests aimed at better understanding – through the careful profiling of a tumour – which drugs should be used (e.g. targeted drugs) and which drugs should be avoided because they are likely to be ineffective. The tests can also help to determine the primary site of cancer in situations where a metastatic cancer is diagnosed without an obvious primary tumour. The tests may also provide further information when making a prognosis for cancer. The tests are done using tissue, blood or saliva samples.”

The doctor highlighted that when planning radiotherapy treatments, Docrates physicists are utilising artificial intelligence (AI) assisted software to plan a precise treatment for the patient as possible. “Our Center has long been at the global forefront when using the latest treatments and effective techniques, especially for prostate cancer. We have been successfully using multimodal treatment strategy for prostate cancer with external and internal radiotherapies alongside hormonal treatments and chemotherapy and also have been active in treating patients with advanced prostate cancer with the newest experimental radionuclide drug treatments such as lutetium-PSMA.

“The new and still experimental treatment has proven to be promising, quick and effective in removing metastases of prostate cancer from the prostate, lymph nodes, bones, lungs and liver. Also, the treatment is often suitable even for patients who have not been able to use other means of treatment due to considerable side effects or whose disease keeps advancing or recurring despite treatment,” he explained.

Haavisto-Koskinen said that since ageing of the population is a megatrend in developed countries, the rate of diseases such as cancer and dementia is set to increase significantly. “Awareness about the healthy way of living, the importance of high-quality nutrition and physical exercise, is a rising trend, and we believe in increasing interest in, for instance, performing regular health check-ups. The use of AI applications will grow dramatically year by year,” she concluded.

The UAE has steadily cemented its position as the destination of choice for medical tourists thanks to its wide range of state-of-the-art technology, affordable treatments and highly specialised doctors, as well as its Instagram worthy hotspots. One of the frontrunners in creating awareness about the country’s medical tourism prowess is RAK Hospital, a unit of Arabian Healthcare Group, located in the serene Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

In an interview with Omnia Health Magazine, Dr. Raza Siddiqui, Group CEO, Arabian Healthcare Group says: “Our first step was to win the confidence of the local community, the second was to become regional and third to become international. We are currently in phase three. Our positioning is “new medical tourism destination” and at present, we are getting patients regularly from Africa and GCC countries.”

The CEO believes that higher growth in medical tourism can be achieved through word of mouth. “Today, patients have become numbers, and this will have a negative impact in times to come. Some institutions just focus on the treatment and don’t provide any follow-up. At RAK Hospital, we believe in staying connected to our patients and partners in their journey of recovery.”

Dr. Siddiqui believes that geographically, the UAE is in the right position to be a hub for medical tourism. The country has more than 45 million passengers transiting through the Dubai airport every year. Moreover, almost 3,000 patients transit through the Dubai airport to go to other destinations for treatment.

Recent trends have highlighted that patients usually travel abroad for treatment for Oncology, Cardiology, Neurosciences, Orthopaedics and Rehab programmes. For instance, he highlights that recently the hospital had four patients from Saudi Arabia who came in for joint replacement. In such procedures, post-surgical rehab is crucial, and the hospital took important steps in ensuring that the patients were mobilised, connected, and received guidance about what exercises had to be done, even after them leaving the premises. The hospital has also started getting traction from Oman for spine deformities and joint problems and from Kuwait for orthopaedics.

“We are focusing on areas which will not only make us self-sufficient as a country but will also help us in attracting patients globally,” he says. “Providing world-class treatment programmes will add value internationally, as well as in the local market, because people from the region will also get the support they need, closer to home. We are also constantly trying different ways to improve efficiencies so that the cost could be controlled.”

Dr. Raza Siddiqui

 

Continuum of care

Currently, RAK Hospital has several unique offerings up its sleeve. Its laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery programme is one of the best in the region. They are also well-known for their cardiac programmes and are in the process of launching new treatment procedures. Furthermore, the hospital has recently started an electrophysiology programme with India’s Fortis Escorts Hospital.

“It is not just about the technology, but about the skill-set that is required. We have surgeons who have trained at some of the most renowned centres in India. Recently, we performed a high-end colon cancer case, which is a rare surgery, and the patient is recovering well. It is very important to have that kind of commitment to quality and to the patient,” Dr. Siddiqui explains.

He stresses that providing an end-to-end solution and continuum of care is of utmost importance. This involves the referring physician referring the patient with a proper report and keeping them connected and involved. Or in cases of surgery, the physician needs to keep a track about what kind of follow-up or treatment continuation has to happen in the patient’s home country. This process is followed religiously at RAK Hospital, he says.

Innovation is key

The name of the game tomorrow, according to Dr. Siddiqui, is going to be efficiency, however, to achieve it, quality cannot be compromised. This is where automation and innovation will have a key role to play.

For instance, he highlights that the universal adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is playing an important role in cutting down the cost and time. Furthermore, today, if a histopathology sample is carried out and there is no local resource available, telepathology can provide physicians with a second opinion.

“Big data is going to play a very important role in two areas – histopathology and radiology,” says Dr. Siddiqui. “With big data, radiologists can refer to millions of other similar images and provide an instant report. In histopathology, usually, a lot of time is spent as you have to go through each image slide by slide. But now with algorithm-based diagnosis, big data is going to support big time because it is all about matching patterns.”

Focus on prevention and wellness

RAK Hospital believes in fostering a culture of wellness and carries out a series of educational programmes throughout the year in the UAE to create awareness. Some of their initiatives include the school health programme Sahi.

“Children are almost never examined from head to toe, as parents will take the little ones to the doctor only if there is a specific ailment. But, as part of the programme, we start the physical exam from the beginning. There are so many undiagnosed situations that come up. For example, scoliosis goes totally unnoticed, which can be corrected through early screening. We identify the physical and mental growth needs of the child and also customise their nutritional needs,” Dr. Siddiqui shares.

Furthermore, the hospital has tied up with schools in Ras Al Khaimah where their nutritionists visit the kitchens of the school or the caterers and encourage children on how to eat right.

They also have an initiative called corporate wellness, as part of which they screen more than 20,000 people every year. He explains: “We have a software with certain parameters. So, for instance, if our team screens 5,000 people, the software can calculate and inform us whether 20 per cent of them are diabetic patients or if 30 per cent of them are cardiac patients, such as people who are at risk of getting a heart attack, etc.

“Our counsellors give the organisation a health score and we work with them to improve their score. We have the data to support us that if a person is not well, their productivity is compromised. So, what we do is that we improve the productivity of the organisation by 20 to 30 per cent.”

He concludes: “Another initiative that we are going to launch is that of a helpline. We are going to be putting up stickers with our counsellors’ number in the hospital. In life, the root cause of many problems is that you don’t have anybody to talk to. So, we will have psychologists available for a free call and are focusing on improving the population’s mental health.”