Smart healthcare plan to computerise all medical records at Dubai Health Authority

The Dh250 million ‘Smart Healthcare Application’ was announced at the Gitex Technology Week exhibition at Dubai World Trade Centre and will be carried out in phases, with the first step due to begin in a year.

DUBAI// All medical records held by the Dubai Health Authority will be uploaded to an entirely computerised system as part of a Dh250 million “Smart Healthcare Application”.

The plan, announced on Monday at the Gitex Technology Week exhibition at Dubai World Trade Centre, will be carried out in phases, with the first step due to begin within a year.

“This will be an ongoing project so we don’t really have an end date in mind at the moment,” said Andrew Chang, president and chief executive of Samsung SDS for Mena, which is working on the system.

“It will initially be implemented in all four DHA hospitals and 15 primary healthcare centres in Dubai.

“This will be expanded to private hospitals because the idea is that residents have one set of medical records they can use for treatment in either private or public hospitals.”

The new system will improve efficiency and end time consuming paperwork, he said.

Visitors to the DHA stage at Gitex were given a presentation of how the system would look once it’s in operation. Residents will eventually have all their medical data stored on a special card or wristband.

These can be placed on to interactive surfaces at hospitals that will also display details about the appointment as well as provide directions to which room the medical check will happen.

“The consultant will have a similar interactive table and once the card is placed on it, it will bring up the patient’s medical history, prescriptions and x-rays among many other things,” said a DHA official.

“If the patient requires heart surgery, for example, the consultant will be able to bring up video or pictures to explain to the patient what and how the treatment will work.”

Doctors will also be able to send instructions and medical supplies to other sections like laboratories and pharmacies.

There will be an extensive training programme to teach doctors, consultants and medical staff how to use the system.

“The Dubai Health Authority is keen to provide all needful facilities and infrastructure to attract investors and consider them key partners in our mission to improve and upgrade the healthcare system in Dubai,” said Essa Al Maidoor, director general of the DHA.

The project follows directives by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, for the implementation of smart government.