Dubai: Like wealth managers overseeing the management of wealth of individuals, relationship ‘health’ managers will be available for hand-holding tourists through their medical experience in Dubai.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Health Bank on Wednesday, with the aim to drive medical tourism in the region.
Medical tourists to Dubai will soon be able to see the features of The Health Bank on DHA’s medical tourism portal — www.dxh.ae.
It is a user-friendly site with easy navigation options.
This hands-on assistance will simplify the procedures for medical tourists to plan their entire journey to Dubai.
They can opt for three types of membership and consultation is free irrespective of whether the patient opts for the membership package for The Health Bank.
Unparalleled services
Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority, said: “Our aim is to provide medical tourists with unparalleled end-to-end services — right from research of doctors and health facilities to treatment, accommodation, translator services and post-treatment follow-up. We are working closely with the health sector in the emirate to achieve this and the MoU with The Health Bank will help us further bolster our strategy to provide medical tourists with such services.”
Raza Jaafar, chairman of The Health Bank, said: “The health bank provides each tourist seeking health care in Dubai with a single point of contact for reliable information and assistance in facilitating the logistics of their trip, health care and aftercare.
"Health tourists will be provided an array of services including a team of people to provide the tourist with research and assistance, electronic consolidation of all medical records, 24/7 medical helpline, travel assistance and logistics and assistance in evaluating and understanding insurance options," Jaafar added.
"The end-to-end service will provide them with high-quality medical services and excellence in customer care.”
Dr Laila Al Marzouqi, director of Health Regulation and Dubai Medical Tourism Project, said: “We aspire to position Dubai as the first medical tourism destination in the Mena region and to be among the top 10 medical tourism destinations in the world where DXH will be the ultimate gateway to the finest medical experts, premier accredited health-care facilities whilst providing an incredibly unique experience in the iconic city of Dubai.
"This MoU," said Al Marzouqi, "will help us provide medical tourists with information, customer service, treatment and post-treatment follow-up services in a tailored and convenient manner.”
The MoU was signed in the presence of Shaikh Tareq Bin Faisal Al Qasimi. This collaboration is in line with the vision of the Dubai Health Experience, which is overseen and implemented by the DHA.
Integrated system
Dubai Health Experience or DXH was launched in April 2016 by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, as a continuation of ‘Dubai, a Global Destination for Medical Tourism’ project.
DXH is a highly integrated programme that aims to promote Dubai as a global centre for the provision of medical tourism services with a target of attracting half a million international patients by 2020.
It is estimated that the numbers will increase by 13 per cent per year and that by 2021, over 1.3 million medical tourists will visit Dubai.
