Abu Dhabi: A total of 49 primary health care providers in the emirate of Abu Dhabi now provide enhanced standards of care to patients, the Abu Dhabi Department of Health announced in a statement on Monday.

Another 11 facilities have also received preliminary approval to offer primary care services, following a decision by the Department last December (2017) that allows primary care to be offered only by licensed family medicine departments and clinics.

“These licensed primary care facilities help to build a stronger patient-physician relationship insofar as the patient is regularly following up with the same family medicine physician, who is well-versed both in various medical practices and the specifics of the patient’s situation. The family medicine physician can directly provide diagnosis and treatment as well as guidance and referral to other specialist care, if required.” Said Mohammad Al Hameli, undersecretary at the Department.

“Our efforts to develop primary care are in line with our vision for a healthier Abu Dhabi, and have created a solid foundation for the further enhancement of the health care system in the emirate. As we continue to license more facilities, primary care centres will become the patient’s first stop where they can receive more comprehensive, reliable and personalised medical treatment,” he added.

As reported by Gulf News, the Department had announced last year that it would no longer issue licences to clinics that aimed to offer only general health care services led by a general practitioner. Instead, primary outpatient care would have to be led by specialists or consultants.

Officials had said at the time that such advanced levels of primary care would reduce the burden on the health care system.

“At present, patients approach specialists for basic concerns. For example, a headache may not be related to neurology but patients often seek out a neurologist for it. They may then undergo medical investigation without really being able to get to the root of the trouble. On the other hand, an experienced family medicine physician would be able to suggest the right course of treatment to seek,” explained Paul Hetherington, acting director of investment and capacity management.

However, health care services offered on construction sites, as well as those at hotels, schools, sports and social clubs and companies can still be led by general practitioners.

Hetherington added that there were about 1,200 facilities that provided some level of primary health care in Abu Dhabi, including 60 stand-alone clinics that provided only general health care by a general practitioner. These will have to employ a specialist or consultant to lead care by December 2018 in order to comply with the Department’s updated primary care regulations.

Enhanced primary care can help boost wellness and life expectancy, the Department’s statement said. Similarly, countries that have more primary care centres also witness the lowest rates of mortality caused by cancer and heart, as well as a lower number of hospitalised patients.