Mubadala launches 24 hour healthcare phone service

Mubadala Healthcare, a business unit of Abu Dhabi investment and development company, Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala), yesterday announced the opening of Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre, an innovative medical service provider offering expert medical consultations to patients over the phone. Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre is a joint venture between Mubadala and Switzerland's leading telemedicine provider, Medgate, with medical teleconsultation services offered exclusively through the National Health Insurance Company, Daman, to its Thiqa and Enhanced plan members.
Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre joins Mubadala's network of specialist healthcare facilities and is the first in the U.A.E. to offer a 24/7 medical teleconsultation service, run by medical professionals. "The centre is transforming the way healthcare is delivered in the U.A.E. by enabling patients to receive world-class healthcare over the phone at any time, and from anywhere," said Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari, Executive Director, Mubadala Healthcare.
"Through our relationship with Daman, Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre is helping to increase access to healthcare for all of Daman's Thiqa and Enhanced plan members, and create new channels to healthcare for those living in areas of the Emirates which may not have providers nearby." The centre integrates Medgate's proven and successful medical teleconsultation approach and modern technology to provide high quality, convenient and confidential medical consultations and record keeping for patients.
Andy Fischer, Chief Executive Officer of Medgate, commented, "Telemedicine has been in practice for over 40 years, and in this time, has proven itself as a highly effective, efficient, and practical form of healthcare. We now see telemedicine used in more than 85 countries across the globe, with tremendous success in Switzerland. Medgate is Europe's largest medical teleconsultation provider, with approximately 4,300 patients calling daily for medical advice and over four million consultations provided since Medgate was founded in 1999. We are excited to transfer our experience in the telemedicine field to Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre, and provide the sophisticated technology and the training necessary to provide the highest standard medical consultations over the phone to patients in the U.A.E.." Through Mubadala's relationship with Medgate, eligible U.A.E. residents have access to a team of Medgate-trained and certified nurses and doctors, licensed by Health Authority - Abu Dhabi, who are prepared and skilled to provide the same quality care as Medgate's Swiss medical staff.
Eligible patients can call Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre's U.A.E. toll free number 800-4959 any time of the day or night for a teleconsultation related to non-emergency medical conditions, such as flu, stomach illness, cough and cold, paediatrics, dermatology, and others. Calls are answered by a telemedical nurse who will ask for the patient's symptoms to create an electronic medical record and schedule a call-back by a doctor, and within 30 minutes, a doctor will call the patient back for a full medical consultation.
The centre's doctors are fully qualified to diagnose a patient's condition, recommend treatment plans, provide second opinions on previous diagnoses and provide advice on prescription and non-prescription medications. If the centre determines that an in-person assessment is required for a diagnosis, or if it is determined that a patient will require prescription medication or a sick leave certificate, the centre will provide recommendations for specialised healthcare providers who are nearby and covered by the patient's insurance plan to complete the assessment, as per Abu Dhabi's current healthcare regulations. Within 1-2 weeks of the patient's initial consultation, a doctor will follow-up, if necessary, to ensure they have received the medical guidance needed to improve their condition.
Chief Executive Officer, Michael Bitzer, said, "Daman is committed to constantly providing added value to our members, and are pleased to be in a position to offer this service exclusively to our 1.2 million Thiqa and Enhanced plan members. These members now have access to a highly qualified team of medical professionals any time of day, and from the comfort of their homes. Daman has been a catalyst for innovation and change in health management for years, and by partnering with first-class teams at Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre, we further cement our position." .