Arthur D. Little, the world’s leading management consulting firm, has published a new report highlighting the importance of strengthening the emergency health system within the public healthcare system in UAE, and the use of technology by stakeholders and related systems to increase efficiency and ensure speedy access to treatment services.
Given the importance of the quality and efficiency of emergency care in enhancing positive patient outcomes and improving the level of utilization of emerging capabilities in the organization of healthcare services, building more integrated healthcare systems is critical to meet the future needs of the evolving healthcare system.
In their latest report, “Building the Next Generation of Emergency Care Systems: Pillars for Developing Advanced Emergency Healthcare Systems for the Future,” experts of Arthur D. Little provide deep insights, diverse perspectives, and numerous examples of notable use cases for systems of healthcare.
This will provide stakeholders and leading healthcare networks and centers in the sector with recommendations for building such systems while highlighting the key enablers.
Vikas Kharbanda, the partner in charge of healthcare and life sciences at Arthur D. Little Middle East, said: “The benefits and capabilities offered by modern technology continue to bear fruits in healthcare around the world, where patients and physicians benefit from improved and more effective procedures and services.
But despite the progress, In conclusion, there is still a need for more steps to improve the quality of healthcare systems for emergencies, and this need is emphasized by expectations that indicate the possibility of about two million emergencies annually, a scenario that is likely to crystallize on the ground, especially in light of the recovery, the UAE economy is starting to recover from the pandemic and the country’s attractiveness as a preferred place to live and do business.
Despite the presence of many valuable and acclaimed medical capabilities in the current systems, there is also a level of lack of coherence, lack of coordination and accountability.
Certainly, the demand will witness more efficiency and effectiveness. Continuous growth in the future and the coming period will be an opportunity to address these weaknesses and ensure long-term sustainability.”
Over the past two decades alone, the Middle East has seen several epidemics – such as SARS, Ebola, MERS, and COVID-19 – becoming increasingly global in impact.
In addition, the diversity of Dubai’s population, along with a large number of visitors, puts the burden on the emergency health system, as Dubai already receives more than 15 million international visitors annually, which equates to 4.8 visitors per resident – the highest rate in the world.
Moreover, the number of injuries is 50% higher than the average injuries in the European Union and the United States, and the Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to contribute to a greater positive impact in terms of encouraging tourism and business-related activities, so it is expected that the large influx of tourists and visitors will lead to an increase in the likelihood of emergency scenarios, This further puts pressure on existing healthcare resources.
In the long term, this stress scenario will be inevitable if proactive steps are not taken to strengthen the health system for emergencies. By 2025, forecasts indicate that the Emirate of Dubai is likely to witness more than two million emergencies annually, and this statistic means that emergency departments will receive more than 5,500 visits per day at the country level.
Samir Omran, Senior Director of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Arthur D. Little Middle East, said: “The process of change has become more important and urgent for governments and stakeholders seeking to deal with the challenges the world is witnessing today, while at the same time enhancing readiness to keep pace with the requirements of the future.
As a result of the continuous increase in the demand for healthcare services in general, the health system must continue to evolve and improve to ensure the provision of high-quality and efficient emergency care services to all when required.
Rapid innovation in services, automation, digitization, and data analytics will play a pivotal role in helping to Keep pace with the rapid changes in the provision of emergency care.
The field of emergency healthcare includes under its umbrella emergency treatment services, crisis management and critical illness cases, and many ideas and innovations currently emerging are helping to bring about transformations at the level of the system of providing healthcare services as well as at the broader level.
This includes empowering people in the immediate vicinity of people exposed to emergencies, transforming ambulances into the first rooms for emergency services, using artificial intelligence to support dispatch, and integrating systems across the emergency care service chain – all areas that will reshape the essential pillars of the emergency care landscape around the world including the Middle East region.
In recent years, the Dubai Health Authority has worked to provide smart and advanced care systems and expand the emergency and trauma center at Rashid Hospital.
The Salama project helped connect the Dubai Health Authority’s electronic medical records system with ambulances from the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.
In addition, the authority indicated the future growth of the emergency care services market locally by estimating the need for an additional 140 emergency beds by 2025 and 210 beds by the end of the decade – and it also launched an application to diagnose strokes and diseases related to myocardial infarction, which facilitates communication Faster between paramedics and hospitals.
These use cases and models will surely drive further progress and new steps in time, with Dubai re-emerging as an important tourism and economic hub, following the significant investments it has made, which have contributed to creating valuable opportunities to ensure that residents and international visitors have access to emergency care services that are in line with The highest global standards.
Similarly, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed a number of successful projects to improve emergency care services in the Kingdom.
The Saudi Red Crescent Authority has launched the “As’efani” application, which allows receiving distress messages from the Kingdom’s residents via smart phones, which contributes to accelerating their provision of required care services.
The new report by “Arthur D. Little” explains in detail the main considerations that should be taken into account before starting to build an emergency care system in line with future requirements.
The study explores the maturity of the current system, the patient care structure, the capabilities of people around emergency personnel, emergency department distribution models, as well as other resource requirements and legal regulations.
Moreover, the study provides a valuable roadmap to drive the implementation of new emergency care systems, a step that will support one of the main axes of the UAE’s national agenda, which is to ensure a health system with global standards.
Kharbanda concluded: “Supportive leadership, coordination with stakeholders, adoption of emerging technologies, and performance monitoring are some of the key priorities that health stakeholders must consider when building new systems for emergency care.
By doing so, they will be able to: Supervising successful projects and laying solid foundations for accessible, world-class healthcare service systems over the coming years and decades.”
About Arthur D. Little
Arthur D. Little has been at the forefront of innovation since 1886. It has a global reputation as a leading consultancy in connecting strategy, innovation, and transformation across diverse technology-led sectors.
The company helps its clients transform by changing business ecosystems to uncover new growth opportunities. The company enables its clients to build innovation capabilities and bring about positive transformations in their organizations.
The firm’s advisors have solid hands-on experience across various sectors as well as excellent knowledge of major trends and shifts in the markets. Arthur D. Little is located in the most important business centers around the world. The company is proud to serve most of the Fortune 1000 companies as well as other leading companies and public sector organizations.
