Using healthcare IT in providing timely care to UAE Covid-19 patients

As a family doctor, trained in the UK and a clinical leader in transformation and healthcare IT projects, Dr Rahul Goyal plays a dual role at Mediclinic’s UAE operations by healing the sick while simultaneously looking into the needs and nursing the digital transformation and change management aspects of physician-focused adoption. This includes overseeing the electronic health records managed by one of the largest private healthcare brands in the UAE.

Elected as one of the Future 50 Clinical Leaders in Healthcare IT by the Healthcare and Information Management Systems in the US, Dr Goyal’s experience in the field has been critical, especially after the UAE began tackling Covid-19 early this year. “We implemented a number of enhancements in our Electronic Health record to help front-line clinicians, for example one click order sets, Covid screening questionnaires and more,” says Dr Goyal while exclusively responding to GN Focus in an email. “All this helps clinicians spend less time to document while capturing all requisite information relevant for their patients’ care and focus on delivering the care.”

However, his priority remains looking into his patients’ needs. “From a patient’s perspective there are understandable anxieties and uncertainties that we have to deal with such as offering continuous reassurance while providing clinical treatment (testing as per the UAE National Guidelines, etc.).”

Dr Goyal also realises the overwhelming sense of risk that front-line staff at Mediclinic face 24X7 while dealing with Covid-19 patients but feels the hospital has equipped its staff well. “We are lucky to have the reassurance of the use of personal protective equipment and devices to ensure the safety of front-line staff along with following the best practices for isolation and containment as per UAE guidelines.

“Besides, the UAE leadership has supported us throughout by providing us devices (PPE, testing kits, etc), National Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment and forming task forces to deal with the pandemic in a focused and synergised fashion.”

Praising Mediclinic’s management in their support of front-line staff, Dr Goyal says, “Mediclinic as a team have come together like a family to fight Covid and our senior leadership and management have continuously supported, giving us the much-required reassurance in these testing times.”