DHA: 847,000 individuals used smart health services in the first 6 months of 2023

Dubai has a healthcare sector that rivals the best in the world, not least thanks to its adoption of comprehensive and intelligent healthcare systems. The Emirate has pioneered a "smart" approach to healthcare, seamlessly integrating different elements to create a holistic and efficient healthcare ecosystem that not only prioritizes patients but significantly enhances the overall standards of healthcare services and infrastructure.

At the forefront of Dubai's healthcare journey stands the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), fostering excellence in healthcare delivery, shaping healthcare policy, and ensuring that Dubai's healthcare sector continues to thrive and evolve while integrating cutting-edge advancements.

DHA highlights for H1 2023

The DHA issued a press release to highlight its successes during the first half of the year and beyond. Here are the highlights:

• During the first half of 2023, a total of 847,000 individuals benefited from the services provided by DHA — an increase of 136,000 compared to the same period in 2022.
• The DHA's digital health insurance portal currently serves more than four million people. During the first six months of 2023, DHA processed approximately 20 million insurance claims, averaging 109,000 claims daily.
• The number of electronically approved medical prescriptions reached approximately 9 million between January and June 2023.
• In 2022, Dubai hosted over 674,000 health tourists, generating nearly 1 billion AED in revenue. This was made possible, in part, with the help of DHA's Dubai Health Experience (DXH) - which provides a range of medical specialties and high-quality healthcare services to a growing number of people from overseas seeking out treatment and care in the Emirate.
• Since the beginning of 2023, a total of 129 healthcare facilities are offering telemedicine services. The number of remote medical consultations in 2022 reached approximately 293,000, an increase of 23% compared to the 237,000 consultations in 2021, with satisfaction rates among patients and providers put at 92% and 96%, respectively.
• The customer satisfaction rate for the first half of 2023 reached 86%.

Other numbers worth mentioning:

• The Dubai Health Authority currently provides a total of 77 smart services across its diverse platforms. These services encompass health tourism, health insurance, medical committee services, overseas treatment services, health offices, public health services, administrative support, health regulation services, medical education and research services.
• The Authority provides a total of 10 administrative and support services, including medical auditing for "special parking permits for People of Determination" in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority, besides the issuance of birth certificates, as well as health regulation services. Healthcare regulation alone accounts for 30 services, ranging from submitting requests for adding new facilities at healthcare establishments to initiating name changes for health facilities.
• In the context of medical education and research too, DHA provides a range of distinguished services, including a wide array of educational programmes, residency opportunities, and specialized medical trainings across various disciplines. At least 60,000 healthcare professionals have benefited from medical education and research services in Dubai to date.

On the record

"DHA recognizes the value and importance of achieving advanced rankings on the global competitiveness scale in the healthcare sector. It spares no effort to develop the sector according to the highest standards, with the goal of making Dubai the preferred destination of choice for people seeking healthcare from both inside and outside the country," said His Excellency Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority.