HealthBay: Staying ahead of the curve

With more than 22 years of experience in private healthcare, Ross Townsend, Chief Operating Officer, HealthBay Polyclinic and Anglo Arabian Healthcare, a private medical group in the UAE, shares an insight into the UAE private healthcare sector and his vision for transforming healthcare from a functional focus to an enabler of innovation.

When it comes to healthcare, what makes the UAE stand out from other countries?

We’ve seen healthcare in the UAE evolve and become more innovative in recent years, underscored by a growing interest in new technologies and products, and a range of specialised services and treatments available to residents in the region. Hospitals, clinics, medical device manufacturers and service providers across the globe are facing increasing pressure to innovate in order to become and remain competitive, something that has been fully embraced by the UAE, thanks to the forward-thinking government.

As one of the fastest-growing sectors both here and in the rest of the world, healthcare has become a key contributor to the UAE economy with an additional 3,700 physicians and 8,700 nurses expected in the region by 2030. Drivers stimulating this growth include an ageing population and an increasing frequency of non-communicable disease.

At HealthBay, we are meeting these demands by expanding our offering through the services, expertise and unparalleled levels of care provided to all of our patients.

Given your knowledge, what have you learnt about healthcare in the UAE, and how do you plan to use this for HealthBay in the future?

Due to falling oil prices and other macroeconomic factors, diversification of the economy has remained a priority for the UAE government, and this has resulted in added emphasis being placed on the healthcare sector, with many companies implementing strategies to stay ahead of the curve.

Technological advances through innovation are crucial for many providers such as HealthBay, and this is an area of our offering that allows us to remain at the forefront of the care we deliver to patients. This, however, would be defunct if it were not for the expertise of the doctors and nurses who have consistently delivered the service. Our strategy at HealthBay always has been and will continue to be working with the very best professionals from the UK, US, Europe and the UAE to provide the optimal possible patient-centred care.

With so much competition in the healthcare sector, how does HealthBay maintain its presence?

The healthcare market in the UAE is undoubtedly competitive. Recent research by Colliers International Healthcare Analysis has revealed that healthcare spending in the UAE has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8 per cent between 2011 and 2019, and is expected to increase to $2.4 billion (Dh8.8 billion) by 2025 and $3.6 billion by 2030.

As the industry grows, we must provide a world-leading service with patient care at the centre of everything we do.

As part of the Anglo Arabian Healthcare Group, HealthBay is driving higher quality and level of care in our day surgery centre and at our five UAE clinics across 22 specialities, which include obstetrics and gynaecology, gastroenterology, cardiology, diet and nutrition, paediatrics, and family medicine, with plans to expand our services further in 2020.

Our commitment to care is further emphasised through securing the best doctors and specialists, the majority of whom are all either American, British or German board-certified — allowing us to provide the highest quality service to support all of the patients’ healthcare needs, resulting in the excellent reputation and trust we’ve garnered since inception.

How does HealthBay plan to capitalise on the trend of inbound medical tourism in the UAE?

Inbound medical tourism is an area of growth in the UAE with Dubai and Abu Dhabi at the forefront amongst the GCC nations in attracting medical tourists. Dubai is already well on its way to welcoming more than 500,000 medical tourists by 2020.

Looking to the future, medical tourism is undoubtedly an area where we see HealthBay contributing, thanks to the expertise we have at our disposal, combined with cutting-edge diagnostics, treatment and aftercare.

Through delivering a world-class patient experience, our goal is to ensure everyone visiting HealthBay has the same level of confidence and trust in the care we provide as they do in their home country.

Given the tough macroeconomic environment the UAE is currently facing, how does HealthBay continue to be successful?

Throughout troubled economic times as well as during fiscal stability, spending on healthcare has continued to grow. The private sector has increasingly been considered a critical partner in the long-term development of the healthcare industry, particularly in terms of the quality of care in medical services, an area HealthBay has staunchly continued to deliver. As we move forward under the leadership of Dr Raja Sekhar Gujju, Anglo Arabian Healthcare Group CEO, we will continue to place the patient at the forefront of everything we do by ensuring their well-being from the initial contact and then at every touchpoint of the patient journey thereafter.

HealthBay is dedicated to providing the highest international standards of medical care to meet every patient by a team of experienced and dedicated healthcare professionals.

Our vision is to be the region’s preeminent provider of conscientious healthcare — something we deliver on every day.

For more information on HealthBay, visit Healthbayclinic.com or email info@healthbayclinic.com

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