Affordable healthcare at your fingertips

'Clinic on palm' is the next-generation medication module with a win-win approach

Apple Group of Clinics' CEO Fazal Ibrahim is an enterprising person, and his innovative skills are par excellence. He has a vision when it comes to accessible healthcare for all. He believes in cost-cutting and letting the common man benefit from affordable healthcare plans. Apple Clinic, his brainchild concept, is thus gearing up for one of the most innovative packages in the healthcare industry, as it launches its 'Clinic on Palm'. Though a banker in the past, Ibrahim has deep-rooted knowledge in medicine management, and visualises a format wherein healthcare is available on your fingertips without any hassle. He enthrals you with his logic and aptly makes a convincing case.
Ibrahim stepped into the healthcare business in 2008 as he set up his first clinic at International City, Dubai. His wife, Dr. Ulfath Abdul Rahim, who is a practising dental surgeon, was instrumental in kick-starting the project, and acted as the driving force in making it a success. Nonetheless, Ibrahim had his own ideas, as he looked beyond ceremonial clinical affairs of diagnosis and treatment.
His concept was 'health for all', and that too, in affordable limits. He made use of technology as a cost-cutting weapon, and successfully chalked out a blueprint wherein clinical appointments to diagnosis, laboratory testing and pharmacy are all on the palm of a patient.
While elucidating his struggle, an articulate Ibrahim says till 2011, his clinic worked with a single general physician and a dentist. In 2013, he says Apple Clinic took off in a formal way, and added new doctors to its healthcare solutions and affordable medicines, which is why through the help of technology and an associate arrangement with several health providers, it aims to become the leading patient-focused healthcare unit in the UAE, offering convenient access to innovative and competitive healthcare services.
In 2014, another branch clinic was opened in International City, Dubai, and then in 2017 with Sharjah and Ajman. "Our pace of expansion is very slow, but we have a roadmap to follow," says Ibrahim, pointing out that in International City, Apple Clinic has a roaring business of around 40 per cent market share, compared to its biggest and well-settled competitor.
"Our business module is focused, and stresses on cost reduction, rather than minting money," he remarked, adding that Jebel Ali and DIP are the next destinations for Apple Clinic. Outlining his strategy, the Apple Clinic CEO says, "We don't get into red oceans, rather we go in blue waters." He believes in drastically cutting the consultation fee for patients, in order to provide them with due relief in an era of cutthroat competition. "It is Dh70 to Dh100 usually everywhere, but we plan to bring it down to Dh25 to 30." Technology is the tool for digital healthcare, and Apple Clinic has a foolproof plan for all in the future.
Ibrahim says the Dubai Health Authority and various other stakeholders, including insurance companies, are on board as authorities concerned are vetting the format of 'Clinic on Palm'. "It will be a revolution of sorts in the healthcare sector, as doctors and paramedical staff speaking your own language will be available over the phone to diagnose with prescriptions, and subsequent laboratory tests and pharmacy," he said.
Apple Clinic will soon offer teleconsulting services, as well as access to a patient helpline. The Tele/Video consultation with Apple Clinic doctors will be a one-step effort without the hassle of going all the way to the clinic physically. For signing up for the programme, it is mandatory for the user to undergo once an in-person check-up, and then rely on tele-consultation for all his/her ailments.
A foolproof mechanism for payments, specimen collection and pharmacy delivery is on the anvil, making it an extraordinarily cheap and hassle-free healthcare app. Similarly, the CEO pointed out that depending on medical opinion of Apple Clinics Doctors, users can avail 'Home or In-Clinic services', as well as Home Rehab and Home Care programmes. Ibrahim said, "The programmes are comprehensive, highly structured and follow a precise timetable wherein each and every aspect of patient care and chronic management is tracked to the last detail." He elaborates by saying that Apple Clinic wants to disrupt the monopoly of those who have put an expensive tag on healthcare. "For specialised consultation, the prevailing market bill is to the tune of around Dh600 to Dh800, but we plan to bring it down to Dh200." He said the theme behind the initiative is "not to compromise on care, and at the same time retain high quality as well as cost affordability. Technology will be our associate in attaining that objective." 
He called upon the health regulators to seriously study the 'Preventive and Affordable Healthcare' module that Apple Clinic has visualised, and added that it is in relevance with UAE Government's Vision 2021. Similarly, universal vaccination is an innovative idea, which will not only bring down hospitalisation rate, but also help nurture a healthy community.
Ibrahim said the 'Clinic on Palm' is in the testing phase, and is likely to be launched in the next couple of months. It will be the first app-led medical service in the UAE. "We are an emerging alternative to the present healthcare system and by virtue of technology we plan to club the costs and make it more reliable and affordable." The humble and passionate CEO said, "It is all about minimizing risks and at the same time maximising returns," adding that "it is business in the service of humanity."

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