Dubai tops Medical Tourism Index: Arab Destinations for 2020-2021

- 2020-21 Medical Tourism Index released during COVID-19 global pandemic

- Dubai maintains its authority as top Arab destination for the second edition in a row

- Dubai and Abu Dhabi significantly rise in rankings in the Global Medical Tourism Index

Source: International Healthcare Research Center. The Medical Tourism Index: Arab Destinations.

The International Healthcare Research Center (IHRC) has published a special edition of its Medical Tourism Index (MTI) that specifically focuses on destinations from the Arab world. This compilation is part of the larger 2020-2021 Global Medical Tourism Index, which covers 46 destinations across five continents. Twelve of the destinations are included in the Arab Medical Tourism Index, including UAE cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Oman, Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, KSA, Jordan, Tunisia, Qatar, Lebanon, and Kuwait.

Dubai, which was also recognised as the top Arab destination in 2016, has retained its position as the top destination in the Arab world. It is also top in the Middle East, according to the index. Dubai rose 10 slots to No. 6 in the global ranking while Abu Dhabi leaped up16 points to No. 9 of 46 destinations ranked in the 2020-2021 Global Medical Tourism Index. Destinations are judged on over 40 criteria for industry success, including Patient Experience, Medical Tourism Industry, Cost, and Safety.

"We are not surprised to see both Dubai and Abu Dhabi rise in the 2020-2021 Global Medical Tourism Index and to be at the top of the Arab Index, ranked #1 and #2, respectively. Both emirates have strong, committed leadership through Dubai Health Authority and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, and are supported by the government of the UAE in its medical tourism initiatives.

"Both emirates are driven to become global leaders in healthcare with sustainable growth strategies in the medical tourism and wellness travel industries," said Renée-Marie Stephano, one of the developers of the Index, and CEO of Global Healthcare Resources. Global Healthcare Resources and IHRC are industry research partners.

"The return on investment is obvious in the rankings when the government and private sector come together with a singular focus to transform the perception of a destination for medical tourism through accountability, commitment to quality and accreditation, and dedicated marketing and business development initiatives," added Stephano.

Medical tourism has resulted in significant investment in and the development of healthcare cities and centres of excellence as destinations compete to global leaders in healthcare delivery. MENA is a critically important area to study for a variety of reasons, IHRC said. Historically, many of the economies in the region have relied on petroleum development and the energy sector, but modern conservation movements have made clear the need for economic diversity in many of these countries. Arab destinations – particularly those in the GCC – have diverted revenue streams and sought to build up healthcare and tourism infrastructure, in a bid to capitalise on the US$100 billion medical tourism industry.

The Arab Index highlights the many strengths of the region, including easy-access medical visas, integrated hospitality offerings, unique sightseeing opportunities, state-of-the-art facilities, and exploding private capital sectors.

"The COVID-19 novel coronavirus has put both inbound and outbound Arab medical tourism on hold temporarily. Each nation has developed its own approach containing the virus and reopening. The future rankings and index in the Arab nations may look significantly different in the future depending on how well each nation addresses COVID-19 and recovers economically, inevitably, medical travel will rely upon public private partnerships and solid collaboration now more than ever before," said Stephano.

Currently, billions of dollars are spent every year on medical travel into and out of the GCC and MENA, IHRC noted. As patient mobility returns, new patterns of referral will create new opportunities and challenges related to trust and safety, requiring the entire medical tourism sector to come together.

Organisations like Global Healthcare Accreditation are already taking the lead to frame consumer confidence in healthcare destinations through its COVID-19 Guidelines and Certification of Conformance for Medical Travel. Accreditation programmes for medical travel likely will have a positive result on destination rankings which delineate safety and trust among the most important criteria in selecting a medical tourism destination.

The International Healthcare Research Center (IHRC) is a non-profit research organisation which aims to promote transparency and improve global healthcare quality, population health management, expanded access to care, and the consumer healthcare experience.

Reaching over 2.6 million professionals, Global Healthcare Resources is a consulting firm providing strategic execution within the industries of employer healthcare, medical tourism, wellness tourism, self-insurance, and corporate wellness.

Explore:

The Medical Tourism Index is available for purchase at a temporarily discounted price at MedicalTourismIndex.com. The Arab Index is available as an add-on at checkout.

Red Crescent reports on medical cases served on first two days of Hajj

Source: Centre for Government Communication, KSA.
The KSA Red Crescent Authority responded to 5,000 medical
emergencies during 8 and 9 Dhulhijjah.

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority responded to 5,000 emergency cases on Arafat and At-Tarwiyah days in Makkah, Madinah and other holy sites. At-Tarwiyah on 8 Dhulhijjah marks day one of the Hajj, while the day of Arafat is 9 Dhulhijjah.

From 7 to 9 Dhulhijjah 1,739 of the emergency cases were transferred to the nearest hospitals, while 3,228 were treated on-site.

Medical teams in Makkah served 4,316 emergency cases in city, Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina. More than 1,300 (1,342) cases occurred in Makkah; 982 were in Arafat; 632 in Muzdalifah; more than 862 in Mina, and 250 cases in the Holy Mosque. Medical care was given on-site for 2,846 of the cases while more than 1,470 cases were transferred to hospitals.

Teams in Madinah helped 651 visitors in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's mosque, in Madinah) and along the roads leading to the mosque. Of these, 269 emergency cases were transferred to hospitals and 382 cases were treated on-site.

Medical team from Bahrain on standby in Makkah

Bahrain has deployed a dedicated medical team to serve pilgrims during the Hajj season for 2017, the Bahrain News Agency has reported.

Bahrain Haj Medical Committee Chairman Dr Ibrahim Obaid was cited as stressing the readiness of the Makkah, KSA-based delegation. “The 32-strong medical team is sparing no efforts to serve pilgrims, working as one team round the clock,” he stated in the report.

Intel backs modernisation at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) provides advanced specialised care to patients in Saudi Arabia. With facilities in Riyadh and Jeddah, plus a children’s cancer centre, KFSHRC provides care for the most seriously ill patients from anywhere in the country. Along with delivering advanced treatments, the centre conducts leading-edge research and helps train the next generation of physicians, nurses and other clinicians.

With demands on its healthcare system rising rapidly, KFSHRC is using Intel-based servers, storage, network adapters, and end user computers to modernise its IT infrastructure and prepare for the future in a reliable, cost-effective way. The centre is migrating much of its data centre infrastructure to servers and storage systems based on the Intel Xeon processor E5 family. KFSHRC is also adopting 2 in 1 devices with the Intel Core i5 vPro processor for clinicians on the go.

The strategy brings many benefits. These include:

More coordinated, patient-centred care. Powerful healthcare IT solutions and mobile computing can empower treatment teams to provide more coordinated care before, during, and after the patient’s hospital stay.

Higher patient satisfaction and engagement. Patients and their families can experience shorter wait times, greater convenience, and fewer redundant procedures. Tools such as portals can help engage patients in managing their own health. On 19 October, KSFHRC launched the Sehaty app, which enables users to access their healthcare records from a mobile device. The app manages appointments, offers recent updates to health records and accepts requests for prescription renewals among other features.

Improved productivity, hiring, and retention. Healthcare IT solutions can help medical professionals work more productively and reduce stress. Healthcare IT modernisation helps KSFHRC attract and retain doctors, nurses, and other clinicians.

Leaders at KFSHRC say Intel technologies are helping at the micro level to reduce costs, optimise floorspace, and enhance disaster recovery. Their virtualised infrastructure also helps the hospital deliver a better patient experience, enhance productivity, and increase access to high-quality, coordinated care throughout the kingdom. In addition the PCs and mobile devices powered by Intel help enhance productivity.

posted from Bloggeroid

KSA's MOH calls for vaccination of senior officials

KSA's Ministry of Health (MOH) has led a drive to vaccinate senior officials against meningitis and flu ahead of the Hajj season.

The initiative, led by His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Health for Therapeutic Services, Dr. Tarif Al-‘Ama, saw senior officials take anti-meningitis and anti-flu vaccines in early September. Dr Tarif called upon all MOH employees participating in the Hajj season to be vaccinated to prevent against disease. He also said that the vaccines are available and safe.

Those who have been vaccinated include the Assistant Deputy Minister for Hospitals Affairs, Dr Nahar Al-‘Azmi, the Supervisor General of Home Medicine, Dr Ali Maqboul Al-Ghamdi, the Director General of Specialized Centers and Visiting Physicians, Dr Abdullah Al-Wad‘i, and the Director General of Radiology and Applied Services, Dr Ali Al-Musned.

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog posts about the MOH's preparations for the Hajj here and here

Hamad Medical Corporation announces Eid hours for its facilities in Qatar

Hamad Medical Corporation has announced operating hours for its hospitals during the Eid Al-Fitr holidays as follows, the Qatar News Agency has reported:

Hamad General Hospital’s (HGH) Outpatient Department (OPD) clinics and pharmacy will be closed from 16 to 20 July and will reopen on 21 July. 

Patients already booked for some clinics will be contacted individually to confirm their appointments, and those clinics will operate from 7 am to 3 pm. The OPD pharmacy will be open when any of the clinics are open. The laboratory, radiology, and other diagnostics services will have coverage daily. The HGH’s Medical Records Department will remain open 24x7.

Al Wakra Hospital’s (AWH's) outpatient clinics and pharmacy (including the women’s pharmacy) will be closed on 16 to 19 July. Some outpatient clinics (morning and evening) will resume on 20 to 23 July from 7 am to 3 pm. The hospital’s main outpatient pharmacy will be open from 20 to 23 July from 7 am to 3 pm. Normal operations resume on 26 July.

AWH’s Emergency Department will remain open. The labor room, neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric intensive care unit will continue to operate fully while the Pediatric outpatient department (OPD) will tentatively open from 20 to 23 July. The Obstetrics/Gynecology OPD will be open on 22 and 23 July while its emergency section will run as usual. Operating theaters will be available for emergency elective surgeries after the Eid holidays.

The Women’s Hospital’s OPD clinics will operate from 9 am to 1 pm from 19 to 23 July. The hospital’s pharmacy will operate as usual 24 hours throughout the holidays.

The Cuban Hospital’s (TCH) OPD clinics and pharmacy will be closed from 16 to 19 July and will reopen on 20 July. Patients booked for selected outpatient clinics will be contacted individually to confirm their appointments. The OPD pharmacy will be open when any clinics are open.

TCH’s Emergency Department including the pharmacy will remain open 24x7 including for the dispensing of urgent prescription refills. After hours only emergency dental work and temporary fillings will be handled. Operating theaters will be available for emergency cases over the holidays.

Al Khor Hospital’s OPD clinics will be closed throughout the Eid break. The Accident and Emergency Department Pharmacy will be open 24 hours. All urgent cases, including medications refill, during this period should proceed directly to the Emergency units.

Heart Hospital’s OPD will be closed from 17 to 25 July. It will resume operations on 26 July from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm. However, The OPD will operate two consultation clinics and one warfarin clinic on 22 and 23 July.

At Rumailah Hospital, the Dermatology Clinic will open only on 19 and 20 July from 9 am to 12 noon. The Communicable Diseases clinics will operate throughout the break every Sunday to Thursday from 7 am to 3 pm. The Dentistry Clinic will be open only on 21, 22 and 23 July from 8 am to 2 pm.

The Psychiatry Department’s OPD clinics will be closed throughout the Eid break. The clinics will resume on 20 to 23 July from 7 am to 3 pm. The Community Mental Health Services adult outreach will operate as usual from 7 am to 3 pm and old age outreach services will function as usual.

Most of the services in the National Center for Cancer Care and Research will run as usual during the Eid holidays. The Day Care Unit will be closed on 18 and 19 July while the OPD will be closed on 19 and 20 July. The Urgent Care Unit will operate 24x7.

The Referral and Booking Management System and the Hamad Patient Contact Center will continue to remind patients of appointments by phone and text message.