Driving the UAE forward with the power of partnerships and digital technologies in healthcare

As the country celebrates its journey over the last 50 years and begins preparing for the next 50, it provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on what will be the driving forces of the country’s vision: to enhance its global competitiveness and make it the fastest, most flexible, most resilient nation prepared for future changes.

Healthcare is undoubtedly a cornerstone of productive, successful and resilient societies and the ability to provide the care that empowers and enables these types of societies requires close collaboration, commitment and a shared vision.

Philips has a long and proud history in the UAE: we have worked in close partnership with the nation and been an integral part of the country’s healthcare landscape since the mid-1970s – collaborating with local stakeholders to provide state-of-the-art technologies and solutions, transfer knowledge and develop local talent.

We have seen the power of partnerships in action in the region and the impact they are able to make in helping make people healthier and more resilient. As an example: du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), and Philips signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in June 2021 to collaboratively accelerate the critical, data-driven transformation of healthcare in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in support of the Dubai Health Strategy 2021. This first-of-its-kind partnership will focus collective efforts on realising value-based care by improving patient and healthcare professionals’ experiences, and delivering better health outcomes, at a lower cost of care across the healthcare continuum.

Philips is also part of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi’s Healthcare Innovation Program which aims to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before this partnership allows for collaboration with healthcare providers, payers, and regulators to shape the future of the region’s healthcare system.

The UAE as a whole continues to establish itself as a healthcare leader through critical partnerships – Philips earllier this year partnered with Al Qassimi Hospital, the largest MOHAP (Ministry of Health & Prevention) hospital in Sharjah and a leading healthcare provider in cardiology, electrophysiology and neurovascular treatment, to enhance patient and staff experience with the installation of the new Azurion 7 B20/12 Biplane image-guided therapy system and iApps. By acquiring this unique technology, Al Qassimi hospital has upgraded their cath lab settings to enhance patient care and help expand their clinical services and outcomes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of collaboration between various players in the healthcare sector in preparing for the post-COVID era of healthcare. A strategic white paper entitled “Above and Beyond: Reshaping Healthcare after COVID-19”, developed jointly by Philips and VPS Healthcare, advocates the Healthcare-As-A-Service (HAAS) model that will ensure asset-light, opex-driven systems allowing patients to receive the care they need when they need it without exhausting resources.

Our purpose as a company is to improve the health and well-being of 2.5 bn people a year by 2030. As part of this purpose we have embarked on various healthcare programs and outreach initiatives to drive conversation and education around healthy living and preventative healthcare. In 2018 and on the UAE’s 47th National Day along with our partners in the UAE, the Philips team took part in a CPR relay breaking an earlier Guinness World Record. The event, in collaboraton with the DHA (Dubai Health Authority) was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of CPR to help bystanders provide CPR support to victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

Through collaborations and initiatives such as these, Philips continues to strengthen its long-term relationships by supporting the quadruple aim of healthcare: better health outcomes, lower cost of care, and improved patient and staff experience.

As the UAE, continues to work towards the forward-thinking and ambitious vision that they were first founded on – Philips is excited to co-create the future of healthcare in the UAE to help the nation meet its strategic plans and goals for the future. We remain committed to maintaining a holistic, long-term presence in the UAE and partnering on all the transformative changes that lie ahead in the next 50 years.