Abu Dhabi facilitates remote medical consultations for patients treated abroad

Abu Dhabi: A remote health-care platform now offers patients a chance to virtually consult their doctors in Abu Dhabi and abroad.

The platform, developed by Abu Dhabi health-care regulator, the Department of Health — Abu Dhabi (DoH), has been activated at five hospitals, including the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Tawam Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City and Burjeel Hospital.

The virtual sessions will be coordinated by the DoH’s International Patient Care (IPC) division and will be most useful before a patient travels abroad for treatment or returns to the UAE after seeking care abroad. The remote platform will also allow patients to be thoroughly examined before travelling abroad for treatment, thereby reducing the duration of their treatment outside the UAE.

A statement sent by the DoH said that the platform currently facilitates about five consultations every week. Through its command centre, the DoH monitors the treatment of its international patients and remains in constant contact with them round-the-clock.

In March 2020, the DoH had announced the temporary suspension of IPC services in line with the efforts to prioritise patients’ health, while also ensuring that precautionary measures were implemented to limit the risk of contagion during the pandemic.