Healthy returns

CEO Middle East meets Dr. Ayesha Mohammed Abdullah, senior vice president of Dubai Healthcare City.

What is the vision of Dubai Healthcare City?

Dubai Healthcare City will create a platform for the provision of healthcare, education and research services within an informed regulatory framework.

We are at the forefront of healthcare delivery by continuously responding to emerging healthcare needs to improve the lives of people and by introducing initiatives such as continuing medical education programmes for healthcare professionals. We are committed to scientific research through identifying and funding research in the region.

What is the role of partnerships in realising DHCC's vision to create a centre for healthcare excellence?

DHCC has developed partnerships and links with a number of highly reputed institutions (such as Harvard University, Boston University, Mayo Clinic, and pharmaceutical companies such as Astra Zeneca), unified by the shared goals of creating accessible, patient-centred care and nurturing a community of professionals.

Partnerships have a vital role in the DHCC strategy as combining the expertise of leading academic medical institutions and pre-eminent healthcare organisations equip DHCC with essential talent and resources to provide world-class healthcare.

What are your plans to attract the best healthcare professionals to the emirate and to develop local talent?

There are a number of factors which make DHCC attractive to leading healthcare professionals. This includes creating an environment (both physical, technological and regulatory), which supports high quality healthcare delivery, training and research; providing expertise and support on setting up as a healthcare provider; offering a range of commercial benefits to operators; and developing partnerships with global brands such as Harvard and Boston Universities as well as ensuring a robust regulatory system through the Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality.

Examples of our commitment to investing in talent include a comprehensive range of continuous medical education programmes and a postgraduate fellowship training programme through the Harvard Medical School Dubai Centre (HMSDC) Institute for Postgraduate Education and Research; postgraduate dental education through the Boston University Institute for Dental Research and Education Dubai; and offering research fellowships for health issues of local relevance.

What are the specialties and the number of medical specialists operating within DHCC?

DHCC has over 80 operating facilities at present and over 1,400 medical physicians. DHCC provides a full range of medical services, including: immunology, anaesthesia, cardiology, chiropractic, dentistry, dermatology, ENT, endocrinology, family medicine, pediatrics, gastroenterology, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics, ophthalmology, orthopedic, physical therapy, plastic surgery, radiology, and urology.

How are DHCC practitioners regulated?

DHCC and Harvard Medical International (now Partners Harvard Medical International), collaborated to establish the Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ), which is responsible for the quality management infrastructure within DHCC.

CPQ is committed to ensuring the highest level of quality, in line with international best practice in healthcare delivery at every stage - from licensing and reviewing healthcare operators and organisations, to providing training, to maintaining and analysing healthcare information.

An independent body, the Licensing Board, is the license-granting authority in DHCC. It is the first body in the Middle East to join the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities and is made up of healthcare experts from the local and international arena. The Quality Council (QC) is responsible for the quality and safety of the medical care delivered in DHCC.

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