Dubai Health Board reviews three-year milestones in advancing patient-centred care

Chaired by Ahmed bin Saeed and attended by Mansoor bin Mohammed, Dubai Health Board reviewed three-year milestones in advancing patient-centred care.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Health, chaired a meeting of Dubai Health’s Board of Directors, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Health, to review Dubai Health’s achievements over the past three years and their impact on improvements to access to care and the patient experience.

The meeting, held at Dubai Health’s headquarters, was attended by Her Excellency Dr. Raja Easa Al Gurg, His Excellency Abdulla Abdul Rahman Al Shaibani, Professor Sir Ian Andrew Greer, His Excellency Walid Saeed Al Awadhi, Mohammed Hassan Al Shehhi, Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health, and Professor Alawi Alsheikh-Ali, representing the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU).

At the outset of the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum welcomed the board members and commended their efforts to foster a culture of continuous improvement of healthcare services in Dubai. He acknowledged their contributions to enhancing the quality of services in ways that have positively impacted patient experience and satisfaction.

He said: “Dubai Health’s achievements over the past three years reflect our commitment to placing patients at the heart of every improvement and transformation. These achievements are a testament to the dedication of our teams and represent a key step towards fulfilling the goals of Dubai Social Agenda 33 — establishing a sustainable, and people-centred health system that prioritises well-being.

His Highness expressed his appreciation to the teams across Dubai Health for their dedication, which contributed to achieving a customer happiness score of over 90% in the 2024 Dubai Government Customer Happiness Index - a reflection of Dubai Health’s commitment to delivering integrated, high-quality healthcare services.

Following the meeting, Their Highnesses toured Dubai Health’s Operations Center, where they were briefed on the Patient Journey Redesign Program — a strategic initiative to enhance care delivery across the integrated academic health system.

Advancing through continuous improvement

 His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum described the progress in patient care delivery as a transformative shift in how healthcare is provided across the city. He noted that these efforts reflect a forward-looking vision to offer a seamless care experience for all members of society.

He said: “We believe that the continuous enhancement of our healthcare services requires scientific research — a cornerstone for achieving excellence in the quality of care. Our aim is to deliver a future-ready patient journey, aligned with the needs and expectations of our community. This vision reinforces Dubai’s global standing as a hub for healthcare innovation and excellence.”

Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health, reaffirmed Dubai Health’s commitment to building an integrated academic health system that places the patient at its core, guided by global best practices. He emphasised the importance of the community’s inputs in shaping healthcare services, noting that public feedback on healthcare experiences has become a key pillar in driving improvement efforts. Initiatives such as the launch of the Press Ganey patient experience programme and the ‘Dubai Health Majalis: Voice of the Community’ reflect Dubai Health’s commitment to listening closely to the community and meeting them where they are — in alignment with the objectives of the Year of Community 2025.

Health Operations Center overview

 During the tour of the Health Operations Center, Khalifa Baqer, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Health, presented a comprehensive overview of progress achieved from 2022 to 2024. He noted measurable growth in patient-focused services, aligned with Dubai Health’s primary value of ‘Patient First’.

Community Health Services:

 Dubai Health recorded significant growth in community healthcare services, with performance indicators improving across the board. Medicine home deliveries increased by 189% to approximately 109,000 in 2024, compared to 37,724 in 2022.

Patient Transport Services:

 As part of efforts to enhance service quality and improve access to medical care, Dubai Health launched the Patient Transport Service to offer dedicated transportation for patients between their homes and healthcare facilities for appointments and treatments, ensuring safe and convenient access to care. The service aims to offer patients a more comfortable and dignified healthcare experience, reinforcing the principles of hospitality within the health sector. Launched just two years ago, the service has seen a strong uptake, with the number of beneficiaries rising from 862 in 2023 to 5,365 in 2024.

Home Care:

The medical home visits programme saw a 68% increase in visits over three years, reaching a total of 90,816 visits — up from 23,277 in 2022 to 39,114 in 2024. This reflects Dubai Health’s commitment to delivering care that is accessible, consistent, and centred around patient comfort.

Telemedicine:

From 2022 to 2024, Dubai Health delivered 256,350 teleconsultation services, reflecting a 17.7% increase. The number of services rose from 78,969 in 2022 to 92,930 in 2024, supporting the goals of Dubai’s Digital Strategy.

Call Center operations:

Approximately 5 million calls were professionally managed over three years, demonstrating high levels of responsiveness and operational readiness in meeting community healthcare needs.

Redesigning the patient journey

Dubai Health’s Patient Journey Redesign Program is designed to follow the patient’s care pathway from entry into the system to treatment completion, ensuring a seamless and coordinated experience across all stages of care.

The initiative focuses on optimising 45 priority care pathways — covering approximately 68% of the patient population — including emergency, specialised, and preventive care journeys.

Developed in direct response to community feedback and insights regarding healthcare experiences, the initiative aligns cross-disciplinary efforts and leverages data to reinforce Dubai Health’s future readiness and commitment to delivering integrated, high-impact services.