As part of the Remote Healthcare digital platform initiative by the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH), Mubadala Healthcare, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPHC), and under the guidance of DoH, has launched last month its Remote Care Program, providing a sustainable solution to meeting the healthcare needs of patients impacted by COVID-19. The program is utilizing the recently launched DoH “Remote Care” application, in collaboration with Mubadala’ s Injazat, to ease patient access to the needed care.

Under the program, COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or who have only mild symptoms are monitored and cared for through teleconsultations and home care visits as required. The service is provided by Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Center (ADTC) and Amana Healthcare respectively, with a case manager assigned to coordinating each patients’ care, ensuring their safety, and arranging hospitalization if their circumstances change. Since the launch of the Remote Care Program, Mubadala Healthcare has enrolled more than 1,500 patients, and is ramping up capacity to reach 2,000+ in the coming weeks.

H.E Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Acting Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi says: “In line with the national directive to maintain physical distancing and curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, this partnership with Mubadala Healthcare allows us to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of all members of society, and to enhance the care provided to COVID-19 patients. We will continue to work with all segments of our community and harness local expertise to find innovative solutions to bolster the national COVID-19 response.”

Dr. Shereena Al Mazrouei, Department Manager Health Promotion at ADPHC says: “This initiative launched in partnership with Mubadala Healthcare is a proactive step, and part of a longer-term sustainable strategy to ensure that we have the capacity available at any given time to provide the essential care that our citizens and residents may need. It creates a beneficial situation that enables COVID-19 patients who meet rigorous home isolation criteria and are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms to be monitored and have access to a healthcare team around the clock, while recovering in the comfort of their homes.”

Senior Vice President of Mubadala Healthcare, Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, explains that the program is harnessing the expertise of the specialized facilities within Mubadala Healthcare’s network that will collaborate to ensure that all patients receive personalized treatment and the highest standards of care.

“Each patient receives teleconsultations by a Mubadala Healthcare caregiver and will is monitored through the DoH’s remote healthcare digital platform. This ensures patients follow the necessary isolation measures to keep other members of the family safe. Patients also receive COVID-19 testing services at their residence by a qualified homecare team. The program is anticipated to immediately free up hospital beds for those requiring more intensive levels of care.”

“We have long-established expertise in telemedicine and homecare services within our two distinguished providers, Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Center and Amana Healthcare, and we have a network of facilities that consistently collaborate with each other to provide continuity of care to patients in a seamless manner.  We are fortunate, therefore, to be in a prime position to support ADPHC and DOH, and the population, by leveraging these strengths” Added Al Nowais.

While Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will continue to treat vulnerable and critically ill patients in its facilities, Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre and Amana Healthcare will cover the needs of patients who do not require hospitalization. These facilities are supported in their activities by the testing capabilities of National Reference Laboratory, which is upscaling its operational capacity to perform 6,000 COVID-19 tests per day.

Under the Remote Care Program, once their positive test results are received patients will be contacted to receive a medical assessment in one of the external assessment locations, and will be assigned a case manager to coordinate their care and ensure that their current healthcare needs are being met. The comprehensive homecare plan includes, as required, virtual or home visits from nurses or physicians, and lab tests as required.

To ensure the seamless implementation of the COVID-19 Remote Care Program, Mubadala Healthcare has begun 4 weeks ago to enroll asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms and discharging them from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, and other public and private hospitals in Abu Dhabi to receive care at home. The program can be extended to confirmed positive cases in other hospitals who have been evaluated and referred by the healthcare authorities.

Al Nowais adds: “The COVID-19 Remote Care Program is part of Mubadala Healthcare’s broader #WeAreDedicated approach to respond proactively to the pandemic using its established world-class resources in innovative ways. Expertise from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, Healthpoint, Capital Health Screening Center, Amana Healthcare, National Reference Laboratory and Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Center played an intricate role in putting this program together and ensuring it is delivered with the highest standards in quality and efficiency.”

Among other steps, Mubadala Healthcare has already established on-site and drive-through screening centres at its facilities, increased laboratory testing capacity for COVID-19, expanded telemedicine services across assets, and activated its pharmaceutical delivery.

“We will continue to seek ways in which we can leverage our considerable expertise to support the government and UAE to overcome the current COVID-19 challenges wherever possible,” he concludes.

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