Al-Futtaim Health opens its new clinic in Arabian Center

HealthHub Clinics expand its strategic presence in Dubai

 Dubai: 9 February 2023

Al-Futtaim Health, the healthcare division of Al-Futtaim Group, announced the opening of its new HealthHub Clinic at Arabian Center in Dubai. The clinic will provide various primary and specialised healthcare services in different medical specialities. The opening of the new medical facility is in line with the relentless efforts made by the group to provide specialised medical services that guarantee patients easy access to premium care to meet their various health needs.

The new HealthHub Clinic, which is located in the family-centric residential communities close to Mizhar, Mirdif and Khawaneej, will be providing a full range of high-quality healthcare and speciality services, including general medicine services, internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, ENT, cardiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, general surgery, orthopaedics, and psychiatry. The added offering also includes laboratory and radiology services, teleconsultation through the “SmartDoc” solution and homecare services.

HealthHub Pharmacy has also opened at Arabian Center and will provide a wide range of pharmaceutical products, food & nutritional supplements, skincare essentials, and medical equipment and devices.

Dr. Haidar Saeed Al-Yousuf, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Health, said, “The opening of HealthHub Clinic at Arabian Center is part of the group’s strategy to provide healthcare services with world-class standards that’s closer to the members of the community to meet their needs.”

He added: “With its comfortable atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, and highly skilled medical staff, Arabian Center Clinic will offer the highest standard of patient care, using the most advanced technology, across a vast range of specialities and primary healthcare requirements to all patients through our experienced team of doctors who effectively assist the people in enhancing their health and wellness.”

Al-Futtaim Health has recently received several awards for excellence, including the “Best Primary Healthcare Provider” award in Asia, for applying the highest international standards in patient care using the latest medical technologies.

The Group has also won the “Innovation Award” in healthcare across Asia for the SmartDoc innovation, which is considered a game-changer in the world of medical technology. This is a new model for telehealth using digital technology and advanced data systems to provide patients with rapid and accurate diagnoses across their network of clinics.

HealthHub Clinics have become the first chain of primary care clinics to be internationally accredited in the UAE for their patient safety and high-quality healthcare services.

Al-Futtaim Health Achieves Platinum Accreditation

Receives global recognition for its healthcare standards

 Dubai: 26 August 2022

Another important milestone has been achieved by Al-Futtaim Health, the healthcare division of Al-Futtaim Group. It’s a journey that began with the pursuit of the highest standards of care and patient safety by winning Gold Accreditation from Accreditation Canada for nine of the HealthHub clinics, including a state-of-the-art Day Surgery Center. This achievement resulted in them became the first chain of primary care clinics to be internationally accredited in the UAE.

Following on the heels of this victory, is yet another moment of pride for Al-Futtaim Health, as 3 further HealthHub Clinics have just been awarded the Platinum Accreditation, namely Karama, Barsha Heights & Muteena clinic. This is a pivotal moment, as the Platinum status recognises the groups embedded cornerstones of quality and patient safety in providing client-centered care.

This new level of excellence achieved by Al-Futtaim Health showcases its commitment to continuous improvement of its healthcare offerings to the community. This recognition sets the benchmark for Al-Futtaim Health as a top-tier quality healthcare provider, built on unwavering trust.

As a part of the accreditation process, Al-Futtaim Health also underwent an evaluation by the Qmentum Global Program for its Virtual Health Standards and achieved an impressive 97.8% based on a survey that met the required organizational practices and the highest international quality standards.

Commenting on this momentous triumph, Dr. Haidar Al Yousuf, Managing Director, Al-Futtaim Health, said, “We are extremely pleased to receive this global recognition as it once again demonstrates our ambition to raise the bar in our approach to patient-safety and high-quality healthcare services, while being a young, vibrant homegrown brand at the heart of the community in the UAE. Being the first group of clinics to achieve international accreditation in the UAE and winning the Platinum category of accreditation, is proof that our journey of excellence never stops”.

Elaborating further on the high ratings received for Virtual Health Standards, he added, “Achieving recognition for virtual health excellence also reflects our recent introduction of digital-next healthcare initiatives in telehealth, such as the SmartDoc and launch of Smart Clinics, a first of its kind in the UAE. As always, the spirit of innovation constantly propels us forward in enhancing the well-being of our people here in the UAE”.

Al-Futtaim Health partners with Abbott

The partnership aims to provide advanced laboratory services
for better patient care

Al-Futtaim Health partners with Abbott

Dubai: 9 August 2022

Al-Futtaim Health and Abbott have announced a strategic partnership aimed at improving the standards of advanced laboratory diagnostics in Dubai. Under the agreement, the two organizations will deliver the highest levels of personalised laboratory diagnostic services and set groundbreaking quality standards in laboratory testing through Al-Futtaim Medical Labs in Dubai. The aim is to provide everything from access to efficient, reliable and cost-effective pathology testing services, to advanced patient care.

Al-Futtaim Health has the required expertise to conduct tests across areas that include pathology, chemistry, immunology, haematology, serology, endocrinology, molecular biology and microbiology. It will feature a combination of highly standardized and state-of-the-art, fully automated laboratory equipment, supported by experienced and highly trained laboratorians. This will ensure the highest levels of accuracy and turnaround time for results while being cost-efficient and effective, following the diagnoses and treatment of medical disorders.

Dr. Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Health said, “The aim is to exceed the expectations of patients in every way possible. We always strive to provide quality medical services and create exemplary patient care facilities for our patients. For people who do not have enough time to spare for a clinic visit or are unable to visit a lab for some reason, Al-Futtaim Homecare is a viable option to offer onsite collection services, either at home or at the office”.

Dr. Al Yousuf further added, “Al-Futtaim Health will provide a strong local presence in the UAE as the go-to laboratory that conforms to international quality standards, dedicated to providing quality and integrity lab services and diagnostics for everyone”.

“We are excited about this collaboration with Al-Futtaim Health”, said Mr. Jawad Qasrawi, Managing Director of Abbott’s core diagnostics business in the Gulf, Levant, and NEA region. “This partnership will significantly add to the healthcare services sector provided in UAE. Utilizing state-of-the-art technologies ranging from flexible total lab automation and intelligent digital health solutions to tailored tube transportation modules; this will serve physicians and patients by making the diagnosis cycle shorter, more precise, and more efficient while enhancing the quality of services provided on both clinical care and operational excellence aspects.”

Dr. T. Baaj, Chief Clinical Officer of Al-Futtaim Health said, “Our partnership with Abbott will feature a combination of highly standardized and state-of-the-art laboratory equipment supported by our experienced and highly trained pathologists and lab technicians, which will allow us to provide patients, doctors and clinics with accurate, efficient and reliable diagnostic services information required for the management of a wide spectrum of medical disorders.”

Al-Futtaim Health receives an AHA accreditation as a certified International Training Centre. Introduces workshops on timely CPR

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim had recently been approved as an international training center for conducting courses of the American Heart Association (AHA), one of the prestigious international training organizations, specialised in the field of heart and cardiovascular care.

 

AHA’s accreditation as a certified International Training Centre (ITC) adds to a long list of renowned international organizations which recognize the professional standards of care provided by Al-Futtaim Health. HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim is the UAE’s first chain of primary care clinics to be internationally accredited, while the ITC and newly formed clinical education department, will further elevate the care and services provided to patients.

AHA is the world leader in first aid, CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) training and education, and provides training programs and public health education to individuals across the world. It continues to explore ways that empower individuals with the necessary skills to deliver life-saving support during emergencies.

 

Sharing CPR learnings among corporate communities

In line with the health authorities mission in the UAE to save people’s lives through its ‘Heart Safe City’ initiative, Al-Futtaim Health has partnered with leading companies in the UAE on a much needed initiative to bring the city’s survival rate of cardiac arrests outside of hospitals from under 5% to 65%, by educating members of the public on the correct ways to conduct effective bystander Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Most cardiac arrests commonly occur at the workplace, outdoors or at home and global statistics reveal that from 90% of cardiac arrests occurring outside the hospital, only 10% survive. More than half of this could be attributed to lack of knowledge on the subject.

 

Al-Futtaim Health’s Clinical Education team, led by Ms. Sindhu Mathew and her team, have conducted workshops for corporate clients to meet the growing demand for this much-needed initiative. The core objective is to teach employees in corporate companies, all the correct processes of CPR to efficiently manage emergencies  during critical situations at any public space or more commonly, at the workplace or home.

Every workshop is designed to cover the proven and effective approaches to adult, child and infant CPR. These highly interactive sessions with open discussions and practice scenarios use real life simulations involving CPR demos and the need for their timely response.

 

The response has been overwhelming. On 10th May 2022, Al-Futtaim Health conducted a successful CPR workshop session for all employees of Tech Mahindra, which was based on a ‘hybrid’ workshop session with 35 employees physically attending onsite while 48 staff members attended virtually.

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim introduces the UAE’s first ‘SMART Clinic’

 

The clinic allows the patient to connect virtually with the doctor to perform guided medical exams

 Dubai – 23 May 2022

 HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim has launched the first ‘SMART Clinic’ in the UAE, a unique digital and interactive innovation that lets patients perform guided medical exams by virtually connecting them instantly to the doctor, without having to visit the clinic.

Located at the Festival Tower in Dubai Festival City, it allows patients who walk in, to conduct a quick virtual consultation with the doctor. Patients can complete their diagnosis and treatment for many common conditions, from chronic respiratory issues to ear infections, sore throats, fever, cold and flu, allergies, pink eye, nausea, constipation, asthma, bronchitis and common skin conditions, including contact dermatitis, rash, and diaper rash.

The SMART Clinic is an extremely convenient option for chronic patients who can’t leave their busy schedule for an instant diagnosis with their doctor, and who urgently need to refill their medication and delivered to home or office. Also, the doctor can advise the patient to go in for further investigation to have an accurate diagnosis. The patient will then have to physically visit any of HealthHub Clinic, to complete the examination. After the final diagnosis, the prescription is generated.

Dr. Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf, Managing Director, Al-Futtaim Health said: “We are very excited to introduce the first SMART Clinic in the UAE. It aims to solve the real-world problem of patients needing instant medical solutions from diagnoses and medicines, by putting the solution within their hands. It’s the next radical step in the evolution of self-enabled medical technology, in a space the size of a compact kiosk”.

“We are living in an age of continuous innovation, especially in healthcare, where the digital landscape is constantly changing. We keep the doors open to extraordinary technological breakthroughs in patient care at every touchpoint of the patient journey, while making preventative decisions. The SMART Clinic reflects our core brand belief in defining ‘A new way of healthcare’,” Dr. Al Yousuf added.

Recently, HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim have won in the category of “Service Innovation of the Year” at the Healthcare Asia Awards 2022, for its unique integrated healthcare model that successfully combined smart technology such as the Telehealth services that virtually connected doctors and patients during the pandemic, along with innovative diagnostics and advanced data-assisted systems. Also, in the beginning of 2022, HealthHub Clinics have become the first chain of primary clinics in the UAE to be internationally accredited for its patient safety and high-quality healthcare services offering.

The UAE represented by Al-Futtaim Health, receives 3 global awards for healthcare excellence

Asia Awards

The first Emirati doctor and CEO of a UAE-based healthcare institution,

receives Asia’s ‘CEO of the Year 2021’ award

The UAE has won three international awards across 3 main categories at the Asia Healthcare Awards 2022, the prestigious global award based in Singapore. The awards are an annual event that evaluates and recognises the best achievements among the most prominent healthcare providers in the Asian region.

Dr. Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Health has been named as “CEO of the Year” in Asia for his dynamic leadership and tireless efforts in positioning the brand as a distinct healthcare offering in its segment. He has helped foster an ecosystem built on a unique business model of balance, where top quality service and the best treatment, have been made available to everyone across the UAE. This is a moment of special pride, not just for Al-Futtaim Health, but also for the UAE, as he is the first doctor and CEO from the nation to be honoured across the Asian continent.

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim won in the category of “Primary Care Provider of the Year”, in Asia. This was based on a selection criterion that covered comfortable environs, state-of-the-art facilities, highly skilled medical staff, high standards of patient care, and application of advanced technology across a vast range of specialities and primary healthcare requirements. It’s also testimony to the fact that HealthHub Clinics was the first chain of primary clinics in the UAE to be recently awarded a gold seal recognition from Accreditation Canada. This is indeed a well-deserved win, as the awards honour hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers that have risen above challenges and made a remarkable impact on their patients, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The chain of clinics has also won in the category of “Service Innovation of the Year” in Asia, for its unique integrated healthcare model that successfully combined smart technology such as the Telehealth services that virtually connected doctors and patients during the pandemic, along with innovative diagnostics and advanced data-assisted systems. Each of these have succeeded in working together efficiently to provide fast and precise diagnoses to its patients across all the clinics in the UAE.

Commenting on this momentous occasion, Dr. Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Health said, “This is a great achievement in the health services standards of the United Arab Emirates, and is a reflection of the dynamic leadership in the private health sector. It highlights the commitment that lies in providing the right guidance for the best medical services to patients, according to the highest international standards.”

Dr. Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf stated that Al-Futtaim Health had received 3 awards last year with the “Asia Healthcare Award” in the ‘Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year’ category, the distinguished ‘Secondary Field Hospital of the Year’, and the ‘COVID Management Initiative of the Year,’ in the healthcare sector in the UAE.

 

 

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim partners with Landmark Group to open a dedicated clinic for employees

The in-house clinic is a big step towards benefitting Landmark employees & their families by delivering the world-class healthcare experience at zero co-pay

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HealthHub Clinics, the healthcare division of the Al-Futtaim Group, launched their medical clinic within the premises of the Landmark Group’s Corporate Headquarters at Dubai Marina for its employees.

The in-house clinic is a part of the organization’s “My Health First” programme dedicated towards employee health and wellbeing. The newly opened clinic provides primary care services, management of chronic diseases and preventive care at zero co-pay on consultation and pharmacy – for not only every Landmarker but their dependents too. The clinic will cater to common primary care concerns such as colds, sore throat, infections, respiratory ailments and dermatological issues along with common chronic disease management issues covering diabetes, hypertension, and lipid management.

The variety of services includes specialist care, ECG & sample collection, first aid & minor injury treatment, consultation & medicine delivery for chronic disease management and much more. HealthHub is also extending Telehealth facilities to all Landmark employees, so those not based in the tower can conveniently avail immediate consultation on call.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology and smart systems, HealthHub Clinics uses innovative diagnostics and advanced data-assisted systems to efficiently provide fast and precise diagnosis to its patients. The Landmark Clinic is designed as an exclusive employment benefit to bring convenience and help save money for the employees. While the co-pay for the in-house clinic is free, HealthHub also extends a co-pay of only 10% for all Landmark employees when they visit any other HealthHub Clinic in Dubai – instead of 20% co-pay rates at other off-site clinics.

As a group, Landmark is committed to building the best workplace for their employees and this initiative is an investment towards the larger objective. The newly opened clinic will positively impact the lives of over 8,000 employees in the UAE and their families who can avail accessible and free healthcare. The HealthHub Clinic truly aligns with the group’s goals of the Landmark Happiness Movement, which focuses on employees’ personal and professional wellbeing. Over the past four years, the Group has introduced several initiatives and best-in-class employee benefits, as part of Landmark Happiness Movement, which has impacted over 40,000 employees across all GCC countries.

Dr. Haidar Al Yousuf, Managing Director, Al-Futtaim Health said: “At HealthHub Clinics, we have embraced innovation, which combined with our expertise, has allowed us to ensure that medical excellence is at the heart of everything we do. Our team of doctors are driven by their passion to deliver positive patient outcomes, through our integrated healthcare model using smart technologies. We are very proud to partner with an organization like Landmark Group, that loves their people and looks after them so well. With this new partnership, HealthHub Clinics and Landmark Group will focus on bettering the staff’s well-being, while creating not only a healthy mindset but a safer workplace.”

Renuka Jagtiani, Chairwoman and CEO, Landmark Group said: “Our employees’ health and safety have always been the top priority for our organization. Caring for our employees is our first concern as we continue to explore and introduce initiatives towards their wellbeing. We are delighted to open this new in-house clinic which makes healthcare a lot more convenient and accessible to our employees. I would like to thank Al-Futtaim Health and our insurance providers for partnering with us in our commitment towards the wellbeing and happiness of our employees.”

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim Health receives the Gold Seal of a prestigious Accreditation Canada (AC)

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim – The first chain of primary care clinics to achieve International Accreditation in the UAE

Dubai, UAE, 27 January 2022

 

HealthHub Clinics comes to you from the Al-Futtaim Group, one of the oldest and largest conglomerates in Dubai. The business group was founded in 1930 and has been part of the UAE’s growth story ever since. Over the years, it has expanded rapidly and spread its wings across various sectors, including retail, finance, insurance, real estate, automotive, healthcare and more.

Al-Futtaim Group is committed to offering the best brands to its customers along with excellent customer service and after-sales support, while enriching the lives of generations across the UAE. The Group represents renowned global lifestyle brands in the UAE, including Kolber, IKEA, Toshiba, Lexus, Toyota and more.

Al-Futtaim businesses cover a wide spectrum that also includes the health industry. The brands covered under Al-Futtaim Health, include the renowned Maison Lutétia, Clinic from Paris, and provides dedicated healthcare through Total Care and HealthHub, that includes HealthHub Clinics and HealthHub Pharmacy.

What is HealthHub Clinics

HealthHub Clinics is a primary healthcare center and a hub for continuous care and treatment. It is a brand that is fast gaining popularity in the healthcare industry. Offering the best medical services and facilities at affordable prices, HealthHub Clinics is convenient and accessible to all with no compromises on the quality of treatment in any way.

HealthHub Clinics is home to a wide range of specialities including:

– Cardiology

– Dentistry

– Dermatology

– Diagnostic Services

– ENT

– Family Medicine

– Gastroenterology

– General Medicine

– Obstetrics & Gynaecology

– Orthopaedics

– Other specialities

HealthHub Clinics is located in prominent areas across Dubai, including:

– Al Barsha

– Al Karama

– Al Muteena

– Al Nahda

– Al Qusais

– Al Warqa

– Discovery Gardens

– Dubai Festival City

– Festival Plaza

– International City

– Silicon Oasis

…with more opening soon

 

Each location reaffirms HealthHub Clinics’ commitment to better accessibility and good healthcare for all.

 

What makes HealthHub Clinics different?

You feel a sense of belonging when you walk into any of the HealthHub Clinics, thanks to the vibrant and lively atmosphere. The staff are soft-spoken and helpful. They leave no stone unturned to ensure every patient who visits a HealthHub Clinic, receives quality care that is affordable as well.

this sounds too loud and a bit of an overpromise – can there be a better more toned down and credible line? would suggest keeping it as simple as: “We ensure every patient who visits…”

 

International Accreditation in the UAE

HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim has recently received the “GOLD” seal recognition by Accreditation Canada. It has achieved this milestone for its high-quality healthcare services and facilities, and commitment to the ultimate patient safety. The prestigious certification for global safety and quality standards reflects the level of excellence provided by HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim.

 HealthHub Clinics is the first chain of primary care clinics to achieve this accreditation in the UAE, which is a milestone in itself. especially considering the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

What does the Accreditation Canada award mean for HealthHub Clinics?

Accreditation Canada follows an ongoing process of assessing HealthHub Clinics’ healthcare services based on the highest standards of excellence. It works alongside HealthHub Clinics through a three-year cycle of evaluations and enhancements to ensure services maintain a world-class level. Accreditation Canada will collaborate to build capacity.

The Accreditation Canada recognition also encourages the UAE government to continue the nation’s drive in establishing the highest global standards for medical programs. It promotes the assessment of capabilities to expand the health services ecosystem by upgrading financial stability and enhancing results.

 

Achieving the Recognition – Al-Futtaim Health

Al-Futtaim Health firmly believes quality is a journey and not a destination. It is a continuous process with room to grow and improve. Accreditation Canada’s quality assessment of HealthHub Clinics includes the following aspects:

– Leadership

– Medication Management

– Governance

– Dental Services

– Perioperative Services and Invasive Procedures

– Primary Care Service

– Diagnostic Imaging

– Infection Prevention and Control Standards

– Service Excellence

– Biomedical Laboratory Services

 

The accreditation promises to be beneficial to communities and patients across Dubai in multiple ways that include:

– Offering quality care and patient safety

– Constantly improving and evaluating patient satisfaction

– Reducing errors in the healthcare industry

– Providing expert and quality services to the patients through expert and certified staff, thus protecting the rights of patients

 

Be a part of this legacy and experience quality and affordable care at one of the leading primary care clinics of HealthHub Clinics by Al-Futtaim.

 

Al Futtaim Health joins forces with Wolters Kluwer to deliver efficient evidence-based care to patients with UpToDate clinical decision support

Wolters Kluwer, Health, a global provider of healthcare technology, announced that Al-Futtaim Health has chosen UpToDateÒ – the company’s flagship clinical decision support solution – to deliver evidence-based care across their multi-specialty group of clinics and pharmacies in the United Arab Emirates.
The resource is available to doctors, nurses, and pharmacists across Al-Futtaim Health verticals including clinics, pharmacies and day surgery care centres as well as PCR testing and vaccinations stations, to help advance the healthcare provider’s evidence-based clinical practice and support a strategy built on world-class service delivery.

Dr. Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Health said, “We decided to provide our clinicians with a world-leading decision support tool to help them practice evidence-based medicine and deliver the best outcomes for patients.”

UpToDate is used by over two million clinicians around the world to make point of care decisions based on the latest evidence and recommendations by leading global experts. It is the only clinical decision support solution associated with improved hospital performance and clinical outcomes.

“We plan to integrate UpToDate within our Hospital Information System (HIS) in order to embed an evidence-based approach in the clinical workflow and make it easier to access guidance when clinicians need it most,” added Dr. Haidar.

 

“We are proud to partner with Al-Futtaim Health in their mission to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe care to every patient through the provision of UpToDate, which will help clinical teams maintain medical knowledge and global best practice,” said Alaa Darwish, Country Manager for Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Europe Growth and Emerging Markets at Wolters Kluwer, Clinical Effectiveness, Health.

About Wolters Kluwer 
Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of €4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students in effective decision-making and outcomes across healthcare. We support clinical effectiveness, learning and research, clinical surveillance and compliance, as well as data solutions. For more information about our solutions, visit.

New virtual device connects doctors to patients

A healthcare provider in the UAE has launched a comprehensive, end-to-end multi-gadget solution that can connect doctors with patients in a virtual set-up.

SmartDoc, launched by Al-Futtaim Health, is a multi-gadget device that will be sent to patients’ homes or workplaces by HealthHub or Tashafi clinics at the time of consultation.

“This will allow doctors to remotely conduct a full patient examination, listen to the patient’s heart, look into the eyes or ears, and even do an electrocardiography for heart conditions,” said Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, managing director of Al- Futtaim Health.
The technology allows a nurse and physician to conduct a medical exam from patients’ home and remotely diagnose and treat common symptoms such as fever, cold, ear infection, stomach ache, sore throat, congestions, urinary symptoms, etc.

SmartDoc is equipped with the latest diagnostic technology to check vitals such as pulse-oximeter, weight/height and BMI, thermometer, non-invasive blood pressure, ECG, electronic stethoscope, spirometer, respiratory rate and glucometer. “PCR tests can also be arranged, provided all symptoms match with regulatory guidelines,” added Dr Yousuf. In addition, SmartDoc uses advanced instruments that can record audiogram hearing and video laryngoscope tests, along with PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) medical cameras. The cameras are fully controlled by the physician with their patient, while simultaneously viewing real-time comprehensive medical data to determine the appropriateness of telemedicine on a case-by-case basis.

Real-time diagnosis. “The device connects the patient to a physician in real time for a full diagnosis,” said Dr Yousuf. “The service is focused on increasing access by reaching the patient at home or work, elevating quality of care, capabilities, and expertise in the healthcare space.” Following this, depending on requirement, samples are collected for further tests and medicines are also delivered to patients’ homes. The device and service were launched in partnership with global insurance provider MetLife. Andrew Stocker, head of employee benefits at MetLife Gulf told Khaleej Times the service was launched as a long-term solution to make healthcare services more accessible to insured UAE residents in a post-pandemic world. “Currently, only members in Dubai have access to the programme. We will roll it out across the UAE over time,” said Dr Yousuf. A video of the device and working methodology was showcased to the media at the Al-Futtaim Health headquarters in Dubai Festival City on Tuesday. The services will be rolled out to segments of MetLife’s corporate insured members starting July 3, officials said.