American Hospital Dubai: UAE's position as a medical tourism destination continues to gain prominence

Private sector investments from healthcare institutions such as American Hospital Dubai are key drivers in ensuring sector growth along with Government initiatives and support.

Based on data from Euromonitor International and Fitch Solutions, health expenditure in the UAE amounted to an estimated Dh50.3 billion in 2018 itself, marking a 5.4 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

The UAE and Dubai remains laser focused on healthcare sector growth. Thanks to the vision of the rulers, as early as April 2014, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, approved the Dubai Health Tourism Strategy, with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) overseeing its execution. Dubai is today a leading premium medical tourism destination that ranks 16th on the world medical tourism index.

In Dubai, the sector is well projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR), reaching an estimated value of Dh19.5 billion by 2023, according to a study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).

This kind of growth and forecast could not have been possible without the state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure in the city, government initiatives, and increasing sector privatisation. Increased privatisation along with strong government focus has led to some of the highest quality in standards and facilities, expertise, talent, and cutting-edge medical technologies for citizens and tourists. Having said that we have an exciting way forward.

Supporting Dubai's rise on the global medical tourism map

The American Hospital Dubai continues to be one of the leading healthcare private sector institutions in supporting Dubai's stellar rise on the medical tourism map.

Ghanim Al Marri, Director of Business Development, Medical Tourism and Government Relations at American Hospital Dubai, said: "The American Hospital Dubai today features prominently on the UAE's medical tourism destinations for multi-speciality care. This is thanks to strong foundations that have been built over so many years in Dubai. We have invested significantly in ensuring world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, strong patient focus, cutting edge technologies, innovations, global affiliations, and seamless hospitality."

Pioneering several firsts since 1996

- Since 2016, the first inaugural member of the prestigious Mayo Clinic Care Network.
- American Hospital Dubai's cancer programme was the first to offer comprehensive one-stop care in Dubai.
- The Cancer Care Center at the American Hospital Dubai has remained a leading centre of excellence for cancer care within the region since opening its medical campus in 2005.
- The first laboratory in the private sector to be accredited by the College of American Pathologists.
- In 2020, the American Hospital Dubai launched the first AI research centre in the region, in partnership with global healthcare technology company, Cerner.
- More than 100 surgeries were completed since the launch of the robotic-assisted surgery services - cementing the position towards digital transformation.

What the future holds

If there is one key learning that we take from the COVID-19 global pandemic; it is that continuous innovation to ensure patient comfort, health, safety and care should be at the heart of our future planning. Whether it comes to assisting patients through all aspects of appointments, travel, hotel reservations, or the use of technologies, the end goal is to make sure that all patients enjoy a hassle-free seamless medical experience.

Virtual care, telemedicine, meticulous treatment planning, seamless hospitality, and a high degree of specialisation will continue to ensure Dubai's continued meteoric rise as a global medical health destination.

The UAE is recognised as one of the safest countries in the world today to visit during the global COVID-19 pandemic, and Dubai has readied itself to support international medical tourists under its medical tourism brand, Dubai Health Experience (DXH). The American Hospital Dubai is proud to be a part of the DXH experience.

The American Hospital Dubai is more ready than ever to welcome health tourists back to an exceptional health experience. Orthopaedics, sports medicine, dermatology and skincare, dentistry treatments will continue to be amongst the top specialties for medical tourism in Dubai. Other specialities that will continue to gain prominence due to patient demand are fields of psychiatry, cardiology and oncology. Overall, wellness and lifestyle treatments will also be sought after by patients.  

In conclusion, the American Hospital Dubai will continue its efforts to ease the entire patient journey, working as per set standards as well as clear guidelines laid out by the DHA and the authorities - to make the patient experience as unique and seamless as possible.

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