Dubai:The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced today the introduction of phase 1 of the  NABIDH initiative.

NABIDH( pulse) stands for Network & Analysis Backbone for Integrated Dubai Health. It is Dubai’s cutting-edge Health Information Exchange and Population Health Program. It enables healthcare professionals to securely access unified medical records from all public and private medical facilities in Dubai.

With NABIDH’s vision of unifying Dubai’s healthcare, DHA continues to enhance its collaborative healthcare ecosystem.

The project provides a unified medical record for each individual in Dubai by connecting the information contained in all public and private healthcare facilities. NABIDH’s community view of patient’s health record will lead to improved quality and patient safety, reduced cost and evidence-based care.

The first phase of the project has been launched with DHA and several Mediclinic Hospitals and Clinics are on board presently.  In terms of unique patient identifier in NABIDH or individual patient electronic files, 1,123,720 are online in the NABIDH initiative currently.

This means that currently irrespective of whether the patient visits any DHA facility or a certain Mediclinic hospital or clinic, the patient’s file will seamlessly be available electronically across these facilities.

In the next phase, other hospitals and health centres will be added. By the first quarter of 2021, Zulekha Hospital, Kings College Dubai and Al Zahra will be on-boarded.

The implementation of implementing NABIDH all healthcare facilities is a three-year project which will ensure every patient in Dubai has one electronic file that can be accessed by healthcare professionals across public or private facilities, providing the patient with a paperless comprehensive medical record and enhancing patient care significantly.

NABIDH is a digital platform that supports interoperability. It securely stores patients’ health records from multiple healthcare facilities providing physicians with a consolidated timeline of aggregated medical history including medications, allergies, procedures, and test results, hence helping them make more informed clinical decisions. NABIDH is integrated into the physician’s workflow and allows the physician to seamlessly view the longitudinal record of the patient.

During the launch ceremony, His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the DHA expressed his thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council for their continuous support of the health sector in Dubai.

Al Qutami also thanked His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai Health Authority for the direction and guidance to develop and transform the medical sector in Dubai.

Al Qutami said that the NABIDH  project will directly positively impact healthcare delivery in Dubai and will benefit both healthcare professionals as well as patients.

He emphazised that DHA is keen to utilize the latest digital technology and cutting-edge solutions to enhance the health sector in Dubai and ensure the highest quality of accessible care for patients.

Al Qutami said this project is of significant importance, as it will help provide every patient in Dubai with a single electronic file.  Meanwhile, healthcare facilities in Dubai will experience the future of clinical excellence, enabling them to render the highest-quality of healthcare services using smart technology.

Dr. Mohammad Al Redha, Director of Project Management Office, Health Informatics and Smart Health at the DHA said, “NABIDH continues to prioritise the patient where instead of the patient looking for his information, now wherever the patient goes, his medical information will follow him.”

Al Redha added that among other benefits, NABIDH will greatly benefit patients by saving time and improving the quality of care in Dubai.

Through NABIDH, DHA aims to transform healthcare into a collaborative ecosystem by connecting 1500  health facilities, 11,000 physicians  and 3.3 million people within the emirate.

As Dubai continues to adopt pioneering healthcare solutions that are on par with international standards and best practices, NABIDH will empower patients, physicians and facilities to better manage healthcare, while progressing towards the emirate’s vision of a happier, healthier and paperless city.

For more information on facilities that are currently available on the NABIDH communication portal, please log on to www.nabidh.ae