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29 March 2024

Dubai residents' 3 biggest healthcare disappointments

Published
By Majorie van Leijen

Waiting time ranks top among the factors of dissatisfaction with healthcare in Dubai among the Emiratis, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has revealed.

The authority examined the reasons for dissatisfaction with the provision of healthcare in government hospitals in the emirate in 2014.

Waiting time ranked first, followed by clarity in communication and medical attention.

The conclusions were presented at the ongoing interactive health forum held by the DHA, aimed at discussing where improvements in the industry are required.

“In the midst of escalating chronic diseases, the UAE is facing some challenges in delivering adequate high quality care services,” said the DHA.

Another major challenge is the high level of non-acute visits to the emergency rooms.

According to statistics of last year, 64 per cent of emergency room visits at DHA hospitals were non-acute cases that could have been treated at a primary healthcare centre.

Dubai needs to move away from a hospital-centred healthcare system to a primary healthcare system, said Haidar Youssef, Director of Health Finance at the DHA.

In general, hospitals form the main point of reference for Emirati patients seeking medical attention.

In order to move beyond a 'general hospital model of care' the healthcare sector needs to be supported with standalone urgent and emergency care units, ambulatory units and long-term care units, said the DHA.