Unified health file system for all UAE hospitals by 2022

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Unified, health file system, UAE hospitals, 2022, Minister,

Abu Dhabi - Previously, each hospital had their own file for a particular patient.

by

Ismail Sebugwaawo

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Published: Tue 11 Feb 2020, 5:00 PM

Last updated: Tue 11 Feb 2020, 7:12 PM

 A new unified medical file system that will link all hospitals in the UAE and allow them access to medical records of a patient has been introduced in the country, a UAE minister announced on Tuesda, February 11.
Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, told the Federal National Council (FNC) that the ministry started implementing the unified electronic health file system at all government hospitals in the country this year and all the public hospitals will be fully connected to the new system by end of 2020.
Previously, each hospital had their own file for a particular patient. And if the patient visited another hospital for treatment, he/she had to open a new file there. But with the new system, there will be no need for a new file as all hospitals will have access to the patient's medical records through the unified health file system.
"The process of linking government and private hospitals through the new system will reach 80 per cent completion by the end of 2021. The entire project of linking all the private and government hospitals will be completed by 2022."
The minister noted that they are using artificial intelligence (AI) mechanism to link all hospitals through accessing information on patients in a standardised patient file.
He noted that work on the unified health file system has been under way for a long time in cooperation with the concerned entities to create a central database for citizens and residents.
"The aim is to provide an integrated health database, raise the quality of health services, improve the level of care for patients and to reduce medical errors," said Al Owais.
The meeting chaired by Saqr Ghobash, FNC Speaker, also approved a draft federal law on the bio-safety of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), and their products. The members stressed the importance of the new law in preserving human health, local genetic resources and biological diversity, reducing and eliminating or treating damages that are likely to be caused by genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and ensuring environmental protection in the field of developing, manufacturing, producing, transporting or handling GMOs or their products for emerging modern biotechnology.
Tough penalties, including imprisonment for a period of not less than two years and fines of up to Dh4 million will be imposed on violators of the provisions of the new law.
How will the e-file system work?
>The unified electronic health file system will link all hospitals in the UAE electronically
>When one patient approaches a hospital, a file will be created under his name, carrying all the treatment records
>Once the system gets fully active, when the patient goes to another hospital, he/she doesn't need to create a new file there
>All the previous treatment records of the patient - no matter if it was done in another hospital - Will be accessible to the new hospital, making the treatment easier
Timeline for implementation
>With the beginning of this year, the government hospitals started implementing the new unified electronic health file system
>By the end of this year, all the public hospitals will be linked through the system
>The process of linking government and private hospitals through the new system will reach 80 per cent completion by the end of 2021
>The entire project of linking all the private and government hospitals will be completed by 2022
ismail@khaleejtimes.com
 
 


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