Sep 17, 2024
Malaffi Connects All Abu Dhabi Healthcare Facilities to the Centralised Philips Image Exchange Solution
• 100% of all X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds totalling 4 million images are now securely available to physicians in the Emirate through Malaffi powered by Philips Image Exchange Solution.
• This solution mitigates the need for patients in Abu Dhabi to carry copies of diagnostic images done in hospitals
• Philips Image Exchange Solution reduces the duplication of radiology tests, enhancing experiences for patients and clinicians, improving time and reducing effort
Abu Dhabi, The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate and Malaffi platform, a strategic initiative of DoH operated by M42’s Abu Dhabi Health Data Services (ADHDS), announced the completion of connecting all healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi through the platform with the support of Philips’ Image Exchange Solution. This will enable clinicians in Abu Dhabi to securely access X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasound images performed in authorised facilities across the Emirate. This achievement reflects the Department’s continuous commitment to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all community members through delivering high-quality services in line with international standards and best practices, further cementing Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading healthcare destination globally.
Secure access to radiology images is essential for clinicians to make better decisions to improve the delivery of high-quality, informed and effective patient care. It reduces the need to duplicate invasive radiology investigations, safeguarding patients from unnecessary radiation and reducing time and effort. Patients will no longer need to take hard-copy scans and CDs to each appointment.
Malaffi stands out as the first Health Information Exchange (HIE) in the MENA region and one of the few HIEs globally to include radiology images into the unified patient record, made possible through the integration of Philips’ Image Exchange Solution with Malaffi's in 2022.
The successful connection of all healthcare facilities with Malaffi's Image Exchange Solution is a significant accomplishment that underscores our commitment to continue investing and advancing the integrated healthcare digital infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, thus reinforcing its position as a leading healthcare destination globally. This achievement highlights the power of international collaboration in advancing the healthcare sector across the world. This partnership with Philips has played a crucial role in reaching this milestone, demonstrating our dedication to leveraging technology for the benefit of patients and healthcare professionals. We look forward to continuing our journey towards a digitally-enabled healthcare future empowered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology.”
H.E. Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi
Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH)
Connecting all healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi to the Malaffi Image Exchange Solution marks a significant milestone in Malaffi’s journey as one of the most advanced HIEs globally, underscoring DOH’s commitment to embracing advanced technology to enhance patient care. By streamlining centralised access to medical images, we are paving the way for further advanced applications of AI in healthcare, reinforces Malaffi's position as a catalyst for transformative change in the industry.”
Kareem Shahin
CEO of M42’s Abu Dhabi Health Data Services (Malaffi)
Earlier this year, Philips officially recognised Malaffi as a global reference site for Philips' Image Exchange Solution.
We are immensely proud of our successful partnership with Malaffi and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Today, we are achieving our shared goal to advancing healthcare through innovative technology solutions and enhancing patient care and outcomes. Philips Health Imaging Exchange ensures a reliable and standardized platform for exchanging imaging and clinical data and is a catalyst for healthcare interoperability. Together with Malaffi, we are setting a new standard for sharing medical images digitally and securely as well as streamlining the exchange of information. Reducing the duplication of scans reduces healthcare costs, saves patients from unnecessary radiation exposure, and ultimately enables more accurate decision-making. We’re on a mission to revolutionizing how medical information is shared, making healthcare better for everyone and setting the stage for more efficient work today and a sustainable future in healthcare.”
Dr. Samir Said
P.D, General Manager, Enterprise Informatics Philips Middle East, Türkiye and Africa (META)
This solution provides secure access to more than four million X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasound images across 67 healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi. The majority of these facilities are hospitals, along with 21 medical centres and clinics as well as three mobile health units.
Dr. Shankar Ayyappan Kuttym, a consultant neurosurgeon at NMC Specialty Hospital who was recently recognised as a TOP1 user of the Malaffi Image Exchange Solution during 2023, spoke about the importance of utilising image exchange platforms for improved patient care and surgical decision-making.
Emphasising the necessity of having access to images over written reports alone, Dr. Shankar said: "As a practicing surgeon, I always prioritise accessing patients' radiology images through Malaffi. Having these images securely available not only saves patients from unnecessary trips to the performing hospital but also allows me to provide immediate and accurate opinions, ultimately benefiting patient outcomes."
Dr. Shankar's advocacy for image exchange aligns with modern healthcare trends aiming to streamline data accessibility and enhance collaboration among healthcare providers. By leveraging technology to securely access vital imaging data, medical professionals can expedite diagnosis, treatment planning and ultimately improve patient care.
HIE platforms profoundly impact healthcare delivery and play an essential role in facilitating better care coordination.
Malaffi is a pioneer of progress, exemplifying how digital health solutions can profoundly impact healthcare delivery when built with the clinical user in mind. With its continued evolution and integration into the healthcare ecosystem, Malaffi is committed to transforming and further elevating the standard of care in Abu Dhabi.
About Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH):
The Department of Health – (DOH) is the regulatory body of the Healthcare Sector at in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in healthcare for the community by monitoring the health status of the population. DOH defines the strategy for the health system monitors and analyses the health status of the population and performance of the system. In addition, DOH shapes the regulatory framework for the health system, inspects against regulations, enforce standards, and encourages adoption of world–class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare service providers in the Emirate. DOH also drives programs to increase awareness and adoption of healthy living standards among the residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in addition to regulating scope of services, premiums and reimbursement rates of the health system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. For more information visit www.doh.gov.ae.
About Royal Philips
(NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring, and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips generated 2023 sales of EUR 18.2 billion and employs approximately 68,700 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.
About Malaffi and Abu Dhabi Health Data Services
Malaffi (Arabic for ‘My File’) is the region’s first Health Information Exchange (HIE) platform that safely and securely connects public and private healthcare providers in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Malaffi enables the meaningful, real-time exchange of important patient health information between healthcare providers, creating a centralised database of unified patient records to ultimately improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes. Malaffi is operated by Abu Dhabi Health Data Services - Sole Proprietorship LLC (ADHDS), a M42 company, having been established under a Public Private Partnership with the Department of Health–Abu Dhabi (DoH). As part of the DoH’s strategic priorities, Malaffi is a key component of the digital transformation of the healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. By providing instant access to the patient’s longitudinal medical file, Malaffi facilitates the making of better-informed and more efficient clinical decisions, enhances coordination and transition of care, reduces unnecessary duplication of tests and procedures, reduces the risk of medical error, and improves patient safety and experience. As a centralised database of robust population health information collated from nearly all patient episodes in the Emirate Malaffi informs and drives the DOH’s public health initiatives for a healthier Abu Dhabi. Malaffi has received the ISO 27001:2013 Certification (International Organization for Standardization) and accreditation by the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) for the Health Information Exchange Accreditation Program (HIEAP) – recognising excellence in data privacy and security best practices. Malaffi is the first HIE outside of the US to ever have been awarded HIEAP accreditation. By connecting 100% of hospitals and 99% of all patient episodes in Abu Dhabi in just three years, Malaffi is noted as one of the fastest HIE rollouts in the world. For more information, please visit www.malaffi.ae.
About Abu Dhabi Health Data Services LLC (ADHDS)
A M42 company Abu Dhabi Health Data Services (ADHDS) is a premier digital healthcare solutions company serving as a strategic catalyst for advancing the healthcare ecosystem in Abu Dhabi and beyond. ADHDS digitally empowers health by championing innovative solutions to elevate the quality of care, expand access, optimise costs, and unlock efficiencies on a national, regional, and global scale. Harnessing the power of data and technology, ADHDS drives transformative change across the healthcare eco-system and makes a lasting impact on the communities they serve. ADHDS was established in 2018 as a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH) to build and operate Malaffi, the trailblazing Abu Dhabi Health Information Exchange (HIE). Following the successful delivery of Malaffi, as one of the fastest rolled-out and most advanced HIEs globally, ADHDS has become renowned for successfully delivering major national digital healthcare transformational projects, acting as a critical link between regulators, governments, healthcare providers, biopharma companies, and patient communities.ADHDS is an asset of M42, an Abu Dhabi-based, global tech-enabled healthcare company.
