Technology is Changing the UAE’s Healthcare Market – Should You be Concerned?

concern uae's healthcare market

When people talk about technology and healthcare, they focus on clinical care. However, the health retail market also benefits from technology. The healthcare retail market is big business as it entails telemedicine, alternative medicine, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. The UAE is capable of implementing innovative technology. The government supports the health sector and its endeavours to provide quality and affordable healthcare.

Benefits of Technology in Healthcare

Technology is in every part of our lives, and its benefits are clear for all to see. Technology allows us to access healthcare faster, and it helps healthcare providers to access patients’ records faster. Doctors can also use technology to get medical records from other hospitals.

Modern technology also allows patients and doctors to communicate remotely. You can use many apps and sites to talk to your health provider. You can even make a video call to your doctor instead of writing emails.

Should You Be Concerned about Technology in Healthcare?

Technology in healthcare has many benefits and has saved many patients. Technology also impacts all areas and processes of healthcare. Below are some of the ways technology impacts healthcare:

Cost-Saving

Robot-dispensed prescriptions will make life easier for both patients and health providers. This helps to save time, resources, and increased prescription collection. Although robotic pharmacies sound like science fiction, they are a reality. Robotic pharmacies have been in operation in the UAE since 2017. This is the first time the Dubai Health Authority launched a smart pharmacy in 2 UAE health facilities. More robotic pharmacies are expected in the future.

Some exciting features of these robotic pharmacies are:

  • They can store up to 35,000 medicines
  • They can dispense up to 12 prescriptions in under a minute.

This means after trying to find a doctor in Dubai; you don’t have to wait for a long line to get your prescription from a conventional pharmacy. This reduces human error and gives pharmacists enough time to advice patients on how to take the medication.

The robots can also download and store prescriptions as soon as the physician issues them; this reduces costs and increases efficiency. This also eliminates cases of stolen or lost prescriptions.

Access to Medicine

Technology in healthcare makes medication more accessible, even remotely. Ordering medicine online and getting home deliveries makes it convenient for people with limited mobility to get their medication.

Limited access to pharmacies is a big problem in the UAE. This is not because of a lack of pharmacies. Some individuals are too busy while others are house-bound; others cannot access pharmacies because of poor transport.

Healthcare providers recognized this problem; that is why they introduced the first pharmacy app in the UAE. This digital system allows you to upload your subscription and get free delivery of your medicine under an hour. This will encourage more app developers to encourage more people to get their prescriptions effortlessly.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine provides access to healthcare professionals 24/7; this increases the quality of services as well as increasing revenue. This also makes it easy to find a doctor in Dubai. When you find it hard to pick your prescriptions, telemedicine services allow you to access a healthcare provider wherever you are. You can text, talk, or have video calls with your doctor from any location. Telemedicine platforms not only help patients access medical care remotely but they also increase revenue.

Patient Engagement

Technology also promotes patient engagement by providing different services. The UAE government is at the forefront to promote technology in the healthcare sector; for instance, the Dubai Health Authority launched several apps. One of these apps is the fish app; it encourages kids to drink water. This is necessary because the UAE is usually hot, and you can get dehydrated if you don’t consume enough fluids. The smart toothbrush teaches kids the proper way to brush teeth. This prevents mouth odor and other dental problems.

Technology is also beneficial to healthcare providers. For instance, the Dubai Health Authority launched a smartphone app for physicians where they can access Rashid Medical Library collection of digital records, like electronic books, e-journals, and multimedia. These records are based on evidence-based medicine, medical guidelines, which can be used for continuous medical education.

The UAE’s young population is quick to adopt initiatives that utilize technology on both small and large scales. With the spread of more awareness on the importance of healthcare, technology is an effective way of promoting healthcare. The availability of government support ensures that technological advancements continue to flourish in the region.

Technology in healthcare has many benefits, and there is nothing to worry about. Although some people are concerned about the privacy of their information, there are measures put in place to prevent this from happening. Patients and health providers benefit from technology, and it also increases revenue. Busy individuals can access healthcare from their homes, and house-bound patients can get free delivery of their prescriptions.

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