How the UAE embraced health-tech as the coronavirus pandemic took hold

EY, in collaboration with the Imperial College’s Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), said that prior to the pandemic, health and service organisations (HHS) lagged behind other sectors with regards to the adoption of digital technologies and data solutions.

However, since the onset of Covid-19, a majority of respondents reported that their use of digital technologies and data solutions has increased.

Overwhelmingly, the percentage of respondents using specific digital technologies and data solutions was higher in the UAE and India, when compared to the other countries involved in the global research which included Australia, India, Italy, the UK and the US.

The use of phone and video consultations was widespread across all countries, but there was significant variation in the use of other data solutions and digital technologies. This appears to be as a result of the high number of organisations in these countries that were using these solutions prior to the pandemic.

In particular, the UAE was able to scale up these technologies due to its sound technological infrastructure and investments in cutting edge technology such as artificial intelligence in recent times.

Looking to the future, 53 percent of respondents from the UAE indicate that they plan to further invest in these solutions over the next three years while 86 percent of UAE respondents believe that the use of digital technologies and data solutions has led to increased staff productivity.

Globally, 66 percent of respondents agreed that their staff quickly adapted to using new tools but 40 percent of UAE respondents highlighted ethics and privacy issues as one of the most significant barriers to the implementation of digital technology.

This was significantly higher than other countries, where only 11 percent of UK and 20 percent of US respondents, respectively, cited it as a main concern. The underlying reasons behind this discrepancy are not immediately clear, although are likely a combination of cultural factors, citizen attitudes, and information governance policies and infrastructure, the report said.

Mohammad Sear, MENA digital government and public sector consulting, EY, said: “In many ways, HHS organisations in the UAE have been better placed than their peers in countries around the world to adjust their digital services to the demands of the Covid-19 pandemic. The UAE is among the countries with the highest use of digital technologies and data solutions.

“Clearly, this is a trend that will continue as respondents have seen the value of these technologies and most plan to invest further in them in the days ahead. It may also be the case that the UAE’s relatively modern urban infrastructure and systems allowed it to be more agile than other older and more established healthcare systems.”

Mohammad Sear, MENA digital government and public sector consulting, EY

To maintain this momentum in the future, the key findings from the EY report highlighted the need for ensuring funding and reimbursement for services delivered virtually or through digital solutions during period of crisis such as the pandemic, maintaining interoperability of digital systems, and making sure that regulations and data security protocols are standardized and in place to govern the use of digital tools and technology.

Sear added: “Over the next few months, the actions of regulators, payers, service providers, vendors and service users will become increasingly important, and will pave the way for increased usage of digital technologies and analytical tools within HHS organisations around the world.

“Doing so successfully, however, will require all stakeholders in the sector to come together, innovate and find ways to ensure that these promising technologies are being used to their maximum potential and delivering improved – and in many cases, vital – services to their citizens.”