DUBAI - Under the new regulations to be rolled out by the Dubai Health Authority by 2012, all healthcare facilities and health professionals will have to be licensed in order to operate and practise in the emirate of Dubai.
However, the
criteria required to obtain a licence is still under debate though the Dubai
Health Authority (DHA) has completed the first phase of the regulation
consultation programme. Over 50 briefings have been held with health experts and
organisations and the details will be announced in the coming months.
The
consultations will also decide how any new health regulation agency will be
implemented. Led by Dr Essa Kazim, Assistant Director General Medical Affairs,
DHA, the health regulation team will start rolling out a new system within the
next 12 months.
The system will
aim at delivering a single, new integrated licensing and regulatory system for
Dubai.
Currently, 10
entities are regulating healthcare in Dubai, including the Department of Health
and Medical Services (DoHMS), Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, the free zones (Dubiotech
and Dubai Healthcare City), the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs and the
Ministry of Health, as well as elements within the private sector.
Licences given
to health service providers by a single regulator are essential before the
health funding process is completely in place by 2012. Says Qadhi Saeed Al
Murooshid, Director General of DHA said, "The single system will drive quality
within the healthcare sector and provide a genuine choice for the people of
Dubai."
The benefits of
a single regulation process include improving quality of health service
standards and performance, increased access to information on health service
standards and costs and ensuring competition between health service providers.