Your daughter has the flu. She needs prescription medication. What do you do? Do you go to the Clinic around the corner? Or the Primary Healthcare Centre two blocks down? What about the Polyclinic close to work? Why not just try the newly opened Medical Centre? Or maybe have a shot at the ER in the city Hospital and see if you get lucky?
Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system consists of hospitals, polyclinics, medical centres, clinics, diagnostic centres and primary healthcare centres. The difference between these medical facilities comes down, more or less, to number of staff and facilities rather than anything more complicated.
Because of strict government regulations that ensure quality, and diversity of facilities that meet varied budgets and requirements, Abu Dhabi is becoming one of the upcoming global destinations for medical tourism.
In the meantime the service provides an excellent range of options for the resident – if you live or work in Abu Dhabi, your options are abundant. Based on your finances, health insurance cover, time availability and the specific treatment you are looking for, you are sure to find an option that fits the bill.
Hospitals
At the top of the spectrum of capabilities are the hospitals, and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has a broad selection – half run by the Abu Dhabi health services company SEHA, half by private bodies. SEHA’s tend to be larger and more comprehensive; the private hospitals include some with very specific specialities. In both cases the actual management of the hospital may well be the responsibility of specialist medical management firms.
Hospitals have in-patient facilities as well as out-patient services – meaning they have beds for overnight stays. They will also have several specialist departments and clinics, and all grades of doctors from General Practitioners to a wide range of specialists.
Sophisticated diagnostic technology, up-to-date operating theatres and fully stocked pharmacies are the norm in most hospitals. Most (but not all!) also have advanced Emergency Room facilities; and if you’re in an accident, of course, the nearest hospital is your best bet.
Day-care surgeries, which fall under the category of hospitals, have inpatient facilities with a stay of less than 24-hours.
More specialised services are available from Nursing Homes (for those who require care round the clock and are not able to perform day-to-day activities without assistance) and rehabilitation hospitals (which provide treatment on an in-patient basis to patients after critical medical situations that could include neurological, orthopaedic, or musculoskeletal medical conditions).
Polyclinics
Polyclinics are usually smaller operations, though they can still offer numerous specialised clinics and a choice of several General Practitioners for more routine treatment. They are usually consultation-only and do not provide Emergency Services or overnight beds.
Polyclinics are required by law to have at least two or more licensed nurses or dental assistants; in practice most have many more than that.
‘Medical Centres’ are similar to polyclinics, but have additional services like laboratories, radiology departments and in the case of a dental medical centre, a dental laboratory.
Clinics
A Clinic is a smaller unit for medical or dental services (sometimes both). They will typically have one or two doctors, probably General Practitioners though some do offer at least one Specialist: there is no hard and fast rule. They are required by the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi to have at least one licensed nurse or dental assistant. As with Polyclinics, Clinics are consultation-only and do not have ER services or in-patient facilities.
PHCs
Primary Health Care Centres are associated with the particular area in which they are located and provide basic medical care free of charge to local residents – especially to the mother and child. Additionally they focus on the health and welfare of school age children, health education in the community and immunisations. PHCs are run by SEHA.
Other facilities
Other kinds of medical facilities include freestanding Dialysis Centres that provide treatment for kidney disease and Mobile Health Units where clinic-level resources are supplied from a mobile unit like a bus – useful in rural areas where facilities like dental, diagnostic and laboratories would be otherwise inaccessible.
Who’s in charge?
The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company or SEHA manages public hospitals and healthcare facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Under its purview come multiple Primary Healthcare Centres and Public Hospitals. It has partnerships with recognised healthcare leaders around the world like Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins Medicine and Vienna Medical University; specialists like these provide operational management and consultancy services for many of the SEHA hospitals.
HAAD (Health Authority of Abu Dhabi) is in charge of the entire healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi. It conducts licensing exams for medical professionals interested in practising in the Emirate and licences private medical facilities that meet its criteria. It compares the health of the population with the performance of the healthcare system and devises strategy to ensure that the two are and remain in balance. It also formulates regulations to ensure the best possible quality of healthcare to the public, enforces these regulations and continuously monitors healthcare facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to ascertain whether or not they meet pre-assigned targets. Additionally, the Health Authority undertakes programs to raise awareness among the community about pressing health related issues. If you or someone you know has a complaint about their healthcare experience in Abu Dhabi, they can register a complaint with the Health Authority within six months of the incident. An Independent Clinical Review Panel usually investigates grievances.
