Dubai Hospital Overview & Analysis Research Paper

Executive Summary

Dubai Hospital was established in order to provide medical and health services to constantly increasing population due to major developments in Dubai. Essentially, rapid developments and increase in population led the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) to coming up with a decision to build a specialised hospital in Dubai to fill the gap in health care provision. Commissioned in 1977 the Dubai Hospital started admitting patients in 1983, which led to rapid expansion of health services offered by the government. Dubai Hospital provides health and medical services through various expert responsibility areas and clinics. The most outstanding specialty area is the cardiology centre, which is renowned for its quality service delivery and huge contributions in the area of specialisation.

The major objective of the hospital is to provide wide-ranging protective, therapeutic, primordial, elevated and excellent health care as well as medical services to patients through the application of responsibility areas and treatment centres as proscribed within the scope of services provided by the hospital. In addition, the hospital aims to provide suitable environment in which medical and health care professionals as well as students and trainees are capable of getting instructions and career advancements.

Introduction

The increased growth and development as well as constant expansion of population in Dubai led to the need for improved medical and health services. Particularly, in the mid seventies, Dubai Hospital was established to provide health and medical services to Dubai populaces that were constantly in need of health services (Dubai Hospital, 2013). In fact, the hospital was created against the backdrop of rapid developments and increase in population. The Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) made the decision to build a specialised hospital in Dubai to fill the gap in health care provision. Moreover, the need for a rapid expansion of medical and health services enabled the establishment of the hospital with a major mission of delivering comprehensive health care services. Though the hospital aimed at providing health and medical services to the Dubai residents, it later expanded to admit people from all over the UAE. The hospital was custom-made in 1977 and started admitting patients in 1983 (Dubai Hospital 2013). The start of the hospital operations resulted in the immediate expansion of health services offered by the government. The expansion of medical and health services is due to specialised departments and clinics found within the hospital. The most important among the hospital departments is the cardiology centre, which provides high quality related services within the UAE and beyond.

As indicated, the major objective of the hospital is to provide wide-ranging protective, therapeutic, primordial, elevated and excellent health care as well as medical services to the patients through the application of responsibility areas and treatment centres as proscribed within the scope of services provided by the hospital (Dubai Hospital, 2013). In addition, the hospital aims to provide suitable environment in which medical and health care professionals as well as students and trainees are capable of getting instructions and career advancements. Essentially, the distinctive objectives of the hospital include the provision of comprehensive health care and services to the populace as well as providing better grounds for both aspiring and health professionals to advance their expertise and skills in their areas of specialisation.

Literature Review

Overview

Dubai Hospital was established to aid in raising health care standards in Dubai and the UAE in general. Generally, health care standards in Dubai are considered high in relation to other states within the UAE (Mohammad, 2013). The rise and establishment of the state of the art health care facilities including modern hospitals are attributed to the rise in health care standards in the region. In fact, World Health Organisation (WHO) attributes the increased health care standards in Dubai to continuous rise in government spending on health and incessant expansion of health care facilities including modern hospitals and equipments. Dubai Hospitals are one of the major government health care projects that have been completed successfully and have resulted in the rapid expansion of the provision of health services not only in the UAE but also all over the Middle East (Mohammad, 2013). The idea behind building the hospital was to take care of the cardiovascular diseases, which is the principal cause of deaths in the UAE. However, the facility later expanded to include the provision of all health care services to the patients. According to World Bank, the health facilities in Dubai have resulted in attracting huge number of tourists in the city. Dubai is the second most popular medical and health tourism destination in the Middle East (Mohammad, 2013).

Health Care Services and Hospitals’ Operations in the UAE

In terms of the manner in which government hospitals offer services, the health care services range from the worst to excellent (Mohammad, 2013). In fact, medical services in Dubai Hospital are within the continuum depending on the individual attributes and the type of medical services required. However, like most of the major government facilities in Dubai, the hospital is one of the major referrals in the region (Dubai Health Authority, 2013). The reason is that most of the services are offered within the facility.

Besides, most of the government hospitals are not performing as required due to lack of finance, modern facilities and personnel (Mohammad, 2013). However, large hospitals such as Dubai Hospital have remained consistent in the service delivery over the years. In addition, most of the private hospitals often refer patients for further medical attention in larger government hospitals. In other words, government hospitals still provide better medical services to patients in relation to private ones. In addition, the government hospitals are still cheaper in terms of cost compared with private hospitals. The meaning is that government hospitals such as Dubai Hospital are still the best in terms of offering health services (Dubai Health Authority, 2013).

However, government health facilities have received sharp criticism concerning customer services (Mohammad, 2013). In fact, most of the government hospitals perform poorly in terms of public relations. While private hospitals will always manage their public relations in a manner that attracts and retains the expected clientele, the hospitals do not have any marketing procedure. In line with customer services delivery and like most of the government hospitals, Dubai Hospital is currently working for better terms in services delivery. The hospital’s over six hundred beds capacity is currently being improved. The dormitory style rooms have been changed to suit the current needs of the patients, the hospital is constantly being supplied with modern equipments, more nurses are employed and retrained while at the same time issues of payment are constantly being addressed (Dubai Health Authority, 2013).

While issues of poor facilities, understaffing and underpaid staff have always dogged the primary health care provision in government facilities in Dubai, the situation has so far been improved. Dubai Hospital is one of the major facilities where the problems facing health care provision have always been addressed (Dubai Health Authority, 2013). However, according to World Health Organisation (WHO), the government of Dubai still needs to do more to reach the world standard.

Despite such inadequacies, Dubai Hospital still provides better medical services in relation to private or other government hospitals in the region. Majority of the Emiratis are travelling to Dubai for further medical procedures particularly where specialised medical procedures are needed. Even though the provisions of medical services have continuously been improving, communications within the government hospitals in the region remain a challenge (Pallot, 2014). Most of the hospitals technicians, nurses, doctors as well as other staff come from different countries. Communicating in Arabic is a challenge to most of the staff while English is a problem to the local residents. Therefore, efficient communications will only depend on the nationality of the medical staff attending to the patient needs. However, since most of the hospital staffs are non-Arabic speaking nationalities, English becomes the mode of communications though translated in Arabic in most of the medical forms and certificates. Communication is the major detrimental factor affecting the operations of government hospitals in Dubai (Mohammad, 2013).

Another important factor is that most of the government hospitals are in partnership with the private sector. The government-private sector partnership is a common feature in most of the major hospitals in Dubai particularly where expensive equipments are involved (Mohammad, 2013). Currently, most of the major hospitals in Dubai exhibit Public Private Sector Partnership (PPSP) mode of management and structure. The private sector provides complementary services to that of the government. In addition, the private sectors are involved in such areas as research and development, infrastructure expansion and funding (Al Nuaimi, 2011).

Dubai Hospital is one of the major health facilities that have adopted the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in most of the operation structures. While the government provides most of the funding through the Dubai Department of Health, the private sector has been involved in the provision of equipment, training of the staff through collaborations, collaborative research and development as well as in major funding that has contributed to the subsidised rates in the provision of health services (Dubai Health Authority, 2013).

The Organisation Analysis

Dubai Hospital is one of the major facilities established by Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) to increase the provision of medical and health care services to the ever-increasing population because of major developments in Dubai (Dubai Health Authority, 2013). The Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) was responding to the dire need of specialised medical and health services particularly during the rapid expansion of Dubai in the mid seventies. As indicated, the rapid developments and increase in population led the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) to arriving at the decision to build a specialised hospital in Dubai to fill the gap in health care provision. Dubai Hospital started its operations in 1983 after its completion, which resulted in a major and rapid expansion of health services offered by the government. In order to achieve its major goals, Dubai Hospital is compartmentalised into various specialised departments and clinics (Dubai Hospital, 2013). The most well known department is the cardiology centre, which is renowned for its excellence in service delivery and contributions in the field.

The Mission of the Organisation

The main mission of the hospital is to provide wide-ranging protective, therapeutic, primordial, elevated and excellent health care as well as medical services to the patients through the application of responsibility areas and treatment centres as proscribed within the scope of services provided by the hospital (Dubai Hospital, 2013). In addition, the hospital aims to provide suitable environment in which medical and health care professionals as well as students and trainees are capable of getting instructions and career advancements.

The Objectives of the Hospital

Though the main objective of the hospital is to provide expanded and specialised medical and health care services, the goal has been classified into strategic focus areas critical in the delivery of health services.

• The first strategic goal is to provide better health services to UAE citizens. The supporting objectives of the strategic goal are:

1. 1. To cut back the burden of non-communicable diseases;
   2. To cut back the burden of infectious diseases;
   3. To decrease the level of injuries;
   4. To improve the health statuses of Dubai residents and UAE citizens;
   5. To decrease the problems of diseases through encouraging the best medical practices.

• The second strategic goal is to increase the access to medical and health services. The strategic goal has supportive objectives that aim:

1. 1. To ensure increased access to primary health care facilities;
   2. To ensure timely health care provision;
   3. To encourage investments in high priority service areas;
   4. To ensure affordable health care services;
   5. To ensure efficient and sustainable access to quality health care services
   6. To expand accessibility of health care information to all UAE citizens.

• The third strategic goal is to ensure quality health care services. Below are the objectives under the strategic goal:

1. 1. To uphold enhanced quality standards of health provision equipments and facilities;
   2. To ensure sustained quality and availability of health care professionals;
   3. To ensure transparent and accessible complaint procedures;
   4. To encourage evidence-based decision-making process through the application of current data and statistics.

• The fourth strategic goal is to ensure efficiency in the service delivery.

Actions Leading to Realisation of the Goals

The provision of expanded specialised health care services remains the major objective of the organisation (Dubai Hospital, 2013). In order to attain the main objective, the hospital has areas of strategic focus, which have continuously led to the rapid realisation of its mission and major aims. One of the areas of strategic focus is the provision of better health to UAE citizens and beyond. The strategic focus is based on the fundamental goal of all health systems to make people healthier. Under the goal, the health systems require not only access to fully equipped health facilities but also specific measures aimed at preventive and curative care.

As such, the hospital is geared towards reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases. Under the focus area, the hospital is aiming to decrease incidences of cardiovascular diseases such as cancer, diabetes and other underlying risk factors including harmful dietary habits, smocking and insufficient physical activity (Dubai Hospital, 2013). In addition, the organisation is focused on reducing the problem of contagious infections. The hospital has made excellent effort in controlling the infectious diseases. The common diseases have been eradicated through collaborative efforts with the private sectors and other federal as well as municipal hospitals. However, the hospital has continuously put much effort to control the re-occurrence of the diseases.

Moreover, the hospital has been focused on reducing the burden of injuries. Through the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the hospital has made various efforts to incorporate other government agencies ranging from Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to Dubai Foundation for Ambulance Services (DFAS) as well as other key stakeholders in the industrial and construction sectors in the prevention and management of injuries (Dubai Hospital, 2013).

Besides, the hospital is focused on improving the health status of UAE citizens. Ensuring that the health statuses of the UAE nationals are protected and improved remains one of the critical focus areas of the hospital and replicates the special place in the Dubai residents and the UAE society (Dubai Health Authority, 2013). In addition, the focus areas remain one of the key strategic objectives of the government to improve the well-being of its citizens.

Further, under the main objective of providing better health care services, the hospital has continuously been involved in the reduction of the problem of infections through encouraging medical superlative practices (Dubai Health Authority, 2013). The health facility attracts talented health care providers from various countries and is one of the most diverse communities of health professionals around the globe. The strategy is aimed at ensuring efficient communication through the provision of varied choice of languages the patients can utilise. In fact, the hospital has provided a variety of language choices, practices and cultural comforts to clients seeking medical and health services. Moreover, the hospital utilises reliable and identical body of globally corroborated and locally tailored guiding principles in order to ensure improved value of health care provision. In addition, the hospital provides a variety of languages in order to spread out an array of surroundings in which the patient can receive treatment (Dubai Health Authority, 2013).

The other goal of the hospital is to increase access of health services to the UAE citizens and beyond. The hospital ensures that people gain access to health services at the cheapest cost possible. In addition, the hospital has been involved in facilitating people to health care services through numerous fronts. Geographically, the hospital has ensured that the key services are devolved to areas where people live. In particular, primary health care and emergency services, where time and convenience are of greater consideration, are devolved to residential areas (Dubai Hospital, 2013). Moreover, the hospital provides services at affordable rates to ensure that people access the health care services irrespective of income. Finally, the hospital ensures accessibility through information. The hospital provides simple guidance on available services as well as information on performance procedures and prices (Dubai Hospital, 2013).

Conclusion

Dubai Hospital was established with the main objective of providing expanded and specialised medical and health care services. The main mission of the hospital is to provide wide-ranging protective, therapeutic, primordial, elevated and excellent health care as well as medical services to the patients through the application of responsibility areas and treatment centres as proscribed within the scope of services provided by the hospital. In addition, the hospital aims to provide suitable environment in which medical and health care professionals as well as students and trainees can get instructions and career advancements.

References

Al Nuaimi, F. (2011). Access to health care in UAE. Web.

Dubai Health Authority (2013). The DH’s main objectives and areas of strategic focus. Web.

Dubai Hospital (2013). Medical services. Web.

Mohammad, K. N. (2013). Early days of health service in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: a personal perspective. Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 5(2), 99–113.

Pallot, P. (2014). Expert guide to UAE health care. Web.