(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Dubai is looking at two main components in its medical tourism strategy a strong regulatory framework and excellence in patient experience.
Dubai: Excellence in health services and overall patient experience are key components of medical tourism in Dubai said a top health official.
Dr Layla Al Marzouqi Acting Director of Health Regulation at the Dubai Health Authority said during the 1st Health Regulations Conference that started on Wednesday that Dubai has a strong health regulatory framework which is a key component to ensure health facilities and professionals are adhering to high standards of healthcare and that patients are protected.
She added that a robust health system is in itself a catalyst for medical tourism.
Al Marzouqi said Dubai is looking at two main components in its medical tourism strategy — a strong regulatory framework and excellence in patient experience.
“In addition to all health regulations that are in place those healthcare facilities that want to be a part of the medical tourism initiative will have to be rated to ensure they are up to the mark on several parameters including number of translators they have.”
Hospitals will be rated based on their performance and hospitality services related to medical tourism. It will be a star rating system similar to that followed by hotels.
“Health facilities need to provide us details of the specialties they would like to promote the details of the doctors who will provide those specialties the number of procedures they have conducted etc. All this information will be reverified with the DHA health regulation office as part of the secondary verification check” she explained.
“In addition to medical facilities we will also evaluate hospitals on the basis of the comfort and ease they provide patients. This includes checking whether they have translators chauffeur services etc. which will all be part of the medical tourism package.”
Linda Abdullah head of medical tourism office at the DHA said: “The DHA is working in close cooperation with the government and private medical sector Emirates Holidays DTCM etc. We have launched several domestic medical tourism packages with discounted rates.
“The first phase of rolling out these packages for tourists will be for GCC tourists in collaboration with Emirates Holidays. Post the conference these packages will be available on Emirates Holidays website for GCC tourists and later on the medical tourism portal once it goes live.
“Tailor-made comprehensive packages that include several convenient services for patients and their families such as Marhaba service at the airport hotel-airport transfer chauffeur-driven services translators at the health facilities hotel accommodation cultural programmes and sightseeing etc are being readied” she added.
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