UAE's 1st kiosk-sized 'smart' clinic with virtual doctors opens in Dubai

It allows a patient to connect virtually with the healthcare official to perform guided medical exams

The UAE’s first smart clinic has been launched in Dubai where patients are virtually received by a receptionist and a doctor and an on-site nurse for a virtual consultation.

Located in Dubai Festival City, the first-of-its-kind clinic, which has the size of a smart kiosk, allows patients to walk in to conduct a quick virtual consultation with the doctor.

Patients can complete their diagnosis and treatment for many common conditions, from chronic respiratory issues to ear infections, sore throats, fever, colds and flu, allergies, pink eye, nausea, constipation, asthma, bronchitis and common skin conditions, including contact dermatitis, rash, and diaper rash.

Smart Clinic, which saves time and also relieves patients from long queues, generally treats people who suffer from chronic diseases. However, in case of urgent treatment, the doctor can immediately call for an ambulance to shift the patient to a hospital to conduct a further diagnosis.

Dr Haidar Saeed Al Yousuf, managing director, Al-Futtaim Health, said

" Smart clinics aim to solve the real-world problem of patients needing instant medical solutions from diagnoses and medicines, by putting the solution within their hands.

“It’s the next radical step in the evolution of self-enabled medical technology, in a space the size of a compact kiosk,”

Dr Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of Dubai Health Authority, said

"The authority always supports innovation in healthcare with its partners in the private sector.

“Dubai always strives to be number one in all the fields, including healthcare.”

Dr Haidar said,

"The doctor, who can treat patients at multiple locations, can listen to the patient’s heartbeat and also check the chest, ear and eye, skin etc. as they have many gadgets and tools to evaluate the patient and prescribe the medicine which can be delivered to the patient wherever he or she wants.

“Today, you just need a repeat prescription. You don’t want to take half a day from your busy day and wait in line just to see the doctor. Almost 60 to 70 per cent of the reasons that people see the doctor can be fully managed at the smart clinic,”.

Al-Futtaim’s HealthHub plans to open 50 smart clinics across the UAE by the end of next year in major locations such as large employers’ head offices, shopping malls and supermarkets.

Dr Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of Dubai Health Authority said,

“We are in the process of deploying around 10 smart clinics now and hopefully 20 smart clinics will be operational by the end of the year. We already have one large employer group onboard which will open a smart clinic in its head office and three different locations where it has a large number of employees. We are talking to a supermarket group as well to have smart clinics. The idea is to give good quality healthcare to as many people as possible,”.

News Source: Khaleej Times