“For over fifteen years, our mission has been to empower healthcare providers to revolutionise patient accessibility to healthcare services. Our tailored solutions optimise the utilisation of clinical and administrative resources, resulting in reduced waiting times and costs, while improving patient experience and customer satisfaction,” Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing, Ms. Hala Sami told the International Finance.

Tasked With Providing Best-in-class Solutions

Cloud Solutions aims to be the go-to provider of digital solutions for delivering business services to clients, offering cost-effective global solutions to healthcare organisations based in the Middle East.

“What sets us apart is our ability to understand and address the unique needs of each client. Whether it’s a flagship ‘green field’ project or a ‘brownfield’ project requiring seamless integration with existing systems, we are committed to delivering excellence at every step. We believe in providing ongoing support and maintenance to ensure our solutions achieve long-term success and sustainability,” the venture added.

An Impressive Product Line-up

“Our AI-enabled digital solutions complement and strengthen the world-class delivery of our healthcare partners in a range of fields, including AI Imagery Analysis, Health Care LLM, RTLS (Wayfinding & Crowd Management), AI-managed KPIs, RCM Smart Rejection & Denial Management, and Smart Device Management & Load Balancing,” Ms. Hala Sami emarked further.

More than 50 healthcare providers harness VIDA, our cutting-edge AI digital solution, to revolutionise patient care. Boasting 9,000+ managed beds and nearly 7 million medical records, VIDA leads innovation. Its paperless Electronic Health Record (EHR) system ensures seamless documentation and retrieval of clinical information, guaranteeing updated records with each new encounter.

VIDA is a pure ‘Cloud Native Web-based information System’ that uses virtual servers and Internet web services, while maintaining bi-directional integration with several medical devices.

VIDA consists of several Clinical specialised medical and administration modules. VIDA is also designed to alert users of any wrong action/missing data, apart from managing the activities of specialised clinics.

The solution also allows patients to monitor their health in a non-clinical environment through secure direct messaging. VIDA helps healthcare providers to improve their operational standards as per regional and international standards.

VIDA also allows the end users to define their own tailored data entry templates. This helps the medical professionals to save their time, reduce mistakes and raise the quality of patient care.

VIDA’s impact is remarkable, benefiting over 50 healthcare providers. Managing 9,000+ beds and generating nearly 7 million medical records, VIDA transforms the healthcare landscape. The VIDA app, with over 40,000 users and 700,000 downloads, facilitates 2,500 patient appointments and 30,000 virtual care appointments, underscoring its crucial role in delivering remote healthcare services.

The venture has also developed Cyclus (cloud-based solution covering Revenue Cycle Management processes), MOHEMM (which helps clients to manage and extend their employees’ electronic services), Vidaptor (cloud native lab middleware), Synchrony (digital signage system), Emdaa (dynamic online forms designer and workflow system), Htick (infotainment platform) and Synapses (tele-health services).

The Road Ahead

The venture enabled record-breaking telemedicine and remote monitoring capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We addressed the increased patient demand on limited clinical resources, resulting in a 90% patient satisfaction rate, 800 simultaneous online consultations (a world record), and a 20% improvement in operational efficiency, and a 25% decrease in staff turnover,” Ms. Hala Sami told the International Finance further.

VIDA has improved patient engagement, apart from transforming the aspects of day-to-day healthcare operations like patient appointments, accessing medical files, reports, checking symptoms, dealing with insurance claims, and payment-related functionalities.

“With more than 20 specialised modules, microservices architecture, and cloud and on-premise deployment options, we cater to diverse needs. Our expertise in backend technologies such as C#, Java, Scala, TypeScript, and JavaScript further solidify our position as a trusted and reliable partner in the healthcare industry,” the venture told the business publication, while concluding, “We are driven by the desire to shape the future of healthcare delivery, streamlining processes, enhancing patient care, and driving operational efficiencies.”

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As per the data, Riyadh topped the list with 14,497 business registrations, followed by Makkah (9,275), the Eastern Province (5,866), Madinah (1,792) and Qasim (1,222).

The registration growth was primarily attributed to the emergence of technology-driven sectors, including fintech, telemedicine, and custom software development. The trend also underscored the sector’s pivotal role in bolstering the national economy, with the Kingdom ranking among the top 10 countries globally in e-commerce growth.

Another salient feature in this upswing was the 56% rise in the number of firms registered in the electronic games development sector by the end of the third quarter of 2023, when compared to the same period in 2022.

Out of 2,803 new registrations, Riyadh topped with 1,613 registrations, followed by Makkah (622), Eastern Province (322), Madinah (98) and Asir (42).

In August, while speaking during the ‘Next World Forum’ in Riyadh, Saudi Esports Federation Chairman Prince Faisal bin Bandar said that the Kingdom’s population was passionate about gaming and, if utilized wisely, the trend could transform itself as a prolific career path.

Coming back to the surge in e-commerce registrations, telecare and telemedicine centres saw registrations jumping by 33% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2023 to reach 757.

Riyadh came first with 404 registrations, followed by Makkah (190), Eastern Province (66), Madinah (29) and Qassim (15).

According to the management consulting firms Kearney and Mukatafa, the Saudi e-commerce scene is currently worth SAR 19.3 billion, 5.9% of the overall SAR 347.2 billion market. By 2026, this is anticipated to grow to USD 34.7 billion, or 7.6% of the market.

“As it rises, however, the amount of cross-border trade is likely to diminish from 59% of all e-commerce revenue, to 49% by 2026,” the consulting agency noted in August 2023.

Kearney and Mukatafa also noted that local homegrown players are increasingly entering into the e-commerce market.

Prince Waleed Bin Nasir Bin Fahad Al Saud, first-cousin of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and CEO of Mukatafa said, “It is a strong sign that local e-commerce businesses are gaining more traction in the market. We must make sure that these businesses are supported to thrive as well as cross-border accounts.”

In terms of the fintech solutions sector, the number of companies registered in Saudi Arabia in the same period climbed by 21% in comparison to the corresponding period a year ago to reach 2,831.

As the Kingdom eyes an aggressive economic diversification under the ‘Vision 2030’ roadmap, its fintech sector is witnessing a boom with the number of ventures operating in the sector more than doubling in 2023, compared to 2022.

Ayman Al-Sayari, governor of the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, said in September 2023 that as of August 2023, over 200 of these firms were present in the economy, up from 89 in 2022.

“We view Saudi as an incredibly exciting place to be doing business at the moment. I’ve been coming regularly for over five years and just seeing the rapid expansion there across, of course, the megaprojects like ROSHN and others that we’re very happy and excited to be involved in, but (also) all of the things which are pointing toward Vision 2030,” said Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of what3words.

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Love Your Health: Embrace Your Health Journey

Ocean Life Insurance mainly focuses on quality healthcare, health education, health insurance, and resources for healthy living. In order to give maximum health benefits to its customers, it has a service named ‘Oshi Small Health Project’, under which in-patient medical expense coverage of up to 50,000 baht and out-patient medical expense coverage of up to 1,000 baht is covered.

The company redefines health protection with a groundbreaking approach. The ‘Ocean Club Application’, made for Ocean Life Insurance customers, transforms daily activities into OCHI COIN, a virtual currency for rewards and charity. Partnering with HealthTech, the company ushers in digital healthcare services that include Ocean Life Saver, Ocean Life Best Doctors, Ocean Life Telemed and Telepharmacy, and Ocean Life My Nurse.

Ocean Life Insurance also has health insurance for the new generation. It offers personalized insurance for adolescents, college graduates and parents in both working and retirement ages. The premiums for the insurance are not expensive and it covers both out-patients and in-patients. The company suggests the new generation should redeem the insurance, as it is the first of its kind.

On the other hand, under its ‘Ocean Life Supreme Health’ service, one can get health insurance coverage for in-patient medical expenses of up to 15,000 baht per day. For outpatient medical expenses, the coverage limit goes up to 40,000 baht per year. In total, the coverage under ‘Ocean Life Supreme Health’ takes care of expenses of up to 80 million baht per year. Insurance premiums can be referenced for a personal income tax deduction up to a maximum of 25,000 baht.

Love Your Wealth: Empower Your Wealth Journey

Ocean Life Insurance empowers individuals to cherish their prosperity. The company nurtures and enhances wealth through mindful spending, savings, and diversified investments. The company’s wealth solution crafts a secure future through tailored life insurance products, including tax-deductible, life protection, saving, retirement planning, health protection and unit-linked. The company’s agents seamlessly transform into consultants, equipped with advanced tools, to simplify intricate concepts and customize solutions to individual needs.

Similarly, the company has introduced ‘Saverubsub koomgrajay 15/8’, where the customer can get up to 800% life coverage during the 12th-15th policy year, apart from receiving 10% cash back annually at the end of policy years 1-8 and 12% annual cash back at the end of policy years 9-14.

For retired individuals, Ocean Life Insurance has ‘Retire Ready 85/5′, which is a pension insurance tax deduction type product. The beneficiaries will receive a pension of 15% per year from the age of 60-85 years old, while paying premiums as short as five years. These premiums can be referenced for tax deductions up to 300,000 baht.

Ocean Life Insurance has a group insurance product. It offers a wide range of financial protections against employees’ injury/illness, loss of organs, and permanent disability. It has a 24/7 service hotline and is applicable in over 500 Thai healthcare facilities. The financial product helps the client businesses reduce their employee medical expenses reserves of up to 90%, apart from reducing the annual tax liabilities and the overall financial costs.

Love The World: Creating A Better World

Ocean Life Insurance’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility is demonstrated through its sustainable development policy. Upholding ethical conduct and diversity, the company engages in various activities, both internally and with their customers, in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). These efforts include safeguarding customer data, combating corruption, and ensuring equality and equity. Additionally, the company collaborates with the Dai ichi Group, exemplifying their dedication to building a brighter world for all. Ocean Life Insurance has recently been recognized for its commitment to sustainable practices. The Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), a regulatory authority for insurance in Thailand, has awarded the company with the title of 2023 Most Progressive Sustainable Life Insurance Company.

Ocean Life Insurance is working with stakeholders within the Healthcare Ecosystem to empower individuals to take control of their health and well-being. The company is dedicated to ensuring enduring vitality and sustained wellness for both Thai citizens and expatriates through various channels, both online and offline.

For further information, visit www.ocean.co.th.

The post Innovative & compassionate: Ocean Life Insurance’s approach to healthcare appeared first on International Finance.

The company will be using the funding to upscale its platform and user base while supporting its business-to-business (B2B) customer base. Additionally, using the company’s platform, users can directly connect to their primary care services like teleconsultation, pharmacy delivery and on-demand lab testing.

Prixa initially began as an artificial intelligence-based health management platform that delivers telemedicine and other primary care services to the healthcare payers like insurance companies, corporations and government entities. Currently, the company has around 10 million users that range from insurance and corporate members. The healthcare startup is also popular among people for increasing patient satisfaction by delivering fast and usable teleconsultation service.

Prixa chief executive and co-founder James Roring told the media, “There exists a dichotomy in healthcare that there’s constant innovation in the advanced treatment of patients, but access to basic healthcare services continues to lag, particularly in Indonesia.” He added saying that the company’s platform was primarily developed to access the most basic healthcare services with the help of technology. Currently, the company’s platform includes a health assistant that helps answer patients’ questions. The usage of the health assistant was observed to be increased during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Public-private collaboration and coordination is key to the UAE achieving its strategic smart healthcare goals. Helping the government in the delivery of integrated healthcare delivery are a group of healthtech companies that are trying to leverage the latest technologies including artificial intelligence and machine learning in integrated healthcare delivery. Today, the UAE is in the early stages of extracting value from telemedicine, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cloud technology and mobile technology to bolster integrated healthcare delivery.

Currently, the UAE accounts for 26 percent of the total healthcare spend by the GCC — and is ranked among the top 20 countries in the world in healthcare spending with $1,200 per capita spend on healthcare.

“The UAE’s health regulators increasingly consider the adoption of new smart technologies to modernise its healthcare ecosystem,” says Richard Stolz, Associate Director – Global Strategy Group, KPMG Lower Gulf in an interview with International Finance. The country is predicted to add an additional $182 billion to its economy by 2035 on the back of accelerated AI adoption, further adding to its goal of becoming a local medical tourism hub.

Tackling the lifestyle disease epidemic

The incidence of chronic and lifestyle diseases are reaching epidemic levels in the Middle East and the UAE is not different. The UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 is particularly focused on the use of AI tools to reduce chronic diseases in addition to developing algorithms to reduce the processing time for x-ray scans.

Health experts have warned about a surge in lifestyle diseases in the UAE. According to the 360 Well-being Survey conducted by Cigna Corporation last year, heart disease and high blood pressure are set to increase in the country. The study showed that nearly 30 percent of the population suffers from heart disease, while 32 percent of them have high blood pressure attributed to stress. For that reason, 28 percent of respondents use wearable technology for heart health and 43 percent said that their companies have set up workplace wellness programmes

In fact, the Dubai Health Authority has carried out many AI-driven proofs of concepts and the results have been impressive. For example, the DHA-operated Dubai Diabetes Centre conducted a proof of concept project using AI to detect diabetic retinopathy. The project was run in cooperation with a healthtech startup Artelus. It appears that the system requires only 10 minutes to detect diabetic retinopathy from the time of patient test until physician’s review of the test results, as opposed to four working days.

According to international diabetes treatment standards, 14 retinal images are required per diabetic — and there are more than 1 million diabetics in the country. By numbers, it needs more than 50 eye specialists working full-time to interpret 14 million images per year. But it is possible to accurately identify diabetic retinopathy and other ophthalmology-related issues with the help of a deep learning system (DLS) using AI.

For that reason, the DHA launched its Innovation and Artificial Intelligence strategy which seeks to use AI and robotics to automate the healthcare process. This strategy will be the cornerstone of all DHA’s projects, initiatives and development programmes. The emirate is also testing neuro bands to detect strokes and flow cell sensors which are designed to alert sudden drops in vitals of critical patients.

The implementation and outcomes of these transformational technologies is anticipated to impact thousands of people in the country creating a more sophisticated healthcare system — which is in line with the UAE Vision 2021.

Innovation jointly driven by public and private sectors

While local governments in the UAE are interested in piloting niche smart healthcare technologies as soon as they become popular in the developed world, the private sector, especially healthtech companies provide the key technology components and inputs to make integrated healthcare delivery a reality.

Last year, Smart Dubai launched a new AI system in collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority and IBM. The system allows physicians to predict patients’ conditions by tracking blood pressure, temperature and the pulse among other vital signs. A pilot project was carried out on thousands of patients across Rashid Hospital, Latifa Hospital, Dubai Hospital, and Hatta Hospital.

The AI system was found to have enhanced precision. It was trained to process those patients’ data and offer a comprehensive reading of their medical conditions. As part of the process, the data was fed into the system and then, it predicted the patient’s medical progress and suggested necessary precautions.
The trial showed that the system detected patients’ deteriorating health conditions anywhere between an hour to 20 hours in advance — with 90 percent to 98 percent accuracy. The AI system demonstrated advanced capabilities of determining the exact moment when a patient’s health condition is likely to deteriorate from the time of exiting the intensive care unit.

The Dubai Health Authority, the four hospitals, and most importantly the patients are set to benefit from this sophisticated AI system. First, its high potential to save patient lives by extracting data for pre-emptive detection of critical conditions is vital to medical care and patient care. Second, hospitals will be able to efficiently manage human resources, while enhancing the performance of medical teams. The data generated from the AI system is proved to offer profound insights into patients’ conditions which are usually produced from years of experience in the medical field.

Healthcare robots are a revolution. In fact, the Ministry of Health and Prevention launched a robotic surgeries programme which is specialised in gynaecology and obstetrics. The programme is the first of its kind in the UAE fostering scientific innovation in healthcare delivery.

Because technological assistance in surgeries is vital, significant efforts have been made by both public and private sectors to introduce the latest robotics. Their enhanced visualisation and high degree of dexterity are anticipated to help surgeons conduct surgeries accurately.

Rashid Hospital in collaboration with the DHA will start using robotic technology to perform knee replacement surgeries in the future. A specialised team of doctors from Rashid Hospital have undergone training in this field and are expected to use this technology in ortho trauma surgeries. The hospital has already deployed the three-in-one system, otherwise known as O-Arm, which is a 2D or 3D imaging system designed to suit surgical requirements. It is proven that the system enhances patient care during hospitalisation and post-surgical hospital stay, resulting in faster recovery, minimum incisions, reduced pain and blood loss, lower need for blood transfusion and reduces basic scarring.

The DHA also emphasises the importance of 3D printing technology. Early this year, it opened a 3D Printing Lab at its Innovation Centre to assist medical professionals with patient-specific anatomical models. In turn, these models will support extensive preoperative analysis and improve patient communication across all DHA hospitals.

Healthtech startups drive integrated healthcare

Healthtech startups in the UAE play a key role in bringing the delivery of integrated healthcare closer to patients while optimising costs. Specialised in telemedicine services, UAE healthtech startup Health at Hand has developed its own proprietary apps that allow patients and doctors to connect through videos.
In an interview with International Finance, Dubai-based telehealth startup Health at Hand CEO Charlie Barlow points out that queuing algorithms will take patients into a virtual meeting room while doctors examine their medical notes. After the consultation comes to a close, the patients will receive their diagnosis report and a prescription if required, which can be delivered to their location in Dubai within an hour.
For both payers and insurers, Health at Hand alleviates the need for unnecessary consultation visits and associated tests. “Being able to offer sick-notes, eprescriptions, ereferrals and laboratory tests through our apps has set us apart from our competitors. We have our own built-in Electronic Medical Record system to geolocate patients before offering drug delivery. This is what has led us to become one of the most sophisticated telehealth platforms in the MENA market,” Barlow explains.

The UAE government has realised the need to support telehealth initiatives. “The UAE’s major health regulators are progressively developing an understanding of the value proposition telehealth solutions present and how they can be implemented most effectively throughout the UAE,” KPMG’s Stolz tells International Finance.

The changes healthtech startups bring in the UAE are transforming the delivery of primary healthcare with a more integrated approach of healthcare delivery while closing loopholes for ethical malfeasance. “We intend to stop corruption that is inherent in healthcare systems including the overprescribing of medicine,” Barlow says. “As an independent company we have no vested interest in over-treating patients. We store patient data with the highest level of security as per the DHA guidelines.”

Other startups are using AI-based models to create unified and intergrated platforms of healthcare delivery. For example, Dubai-based healthtech startup HeyDoc! is building a unified and integrated healthcare platform that uses AI to help with detection and triage which is also integrated with wearable devices. “This will help to understand the problem by continuously learning about patients’ health and proactively monitoring them,” says CEO and co-founder Ahmad Al-Hidiq tells International Finance.

HeyDoc! is also democratising healthcare by increasing medical accessibility to patients despite their circumstances. “We have launched an initiative called Salamtak! that aims to provide people in refugee camps, developing countries and rural areas with free healthcare advice through our partner NGOs and government entities powered by an open source version of HeyDoc!,” Ahmad Al-Hidiq explains.

Dubai’s smart healthcare model and its subsequent effects

Four years ago, Dubai launched the Dubai Health Strategy 2021 with four approaches, six objectives, 15 programmes and 93 initiatives. The profound effect of this strategy is that it is delivering the highest quality of medical care for chronic diseases, promoting early detection and raising awareness in the country.
The effort began in 2013, when the DHA launched the Dubai Smart Healthcare Model to implement applications and advanced technology such as telemedicine in hospitals. “Since 2017 there have now been two updates to the DHA telehealth regulations and we have attended numerous roundtable discussions to help modernise the offering around telehealth,” Barlow tells International Finance.

It is apparent that Dubai’s healthcare policy makers pursue a proactive agenda to seek collaboration with private sector participants through public private partnership models, adds Stolz of KPMG. The Smart Healthcare Model also offers guidelines to help healthcare providers to become more automated. Many hospitals in the UAE are embracing this model.

In fact, it was reported that Dr. Sulaiman Habib Hospital in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) has started electronic collection and storage of patients’ biometric data. Also, the hospital’s pilot project used Google Glass to communicate with doctors in the field.

This model helps hospitals to benefit from a prototype SmartDesk application using touchscreen technology. The first facet of the model allows patients to check-in using an ID card, while doctors can fully access patients’ profile and history. The idea is to not only enhance customer experience but also deliver sophisticated healthcare services. The second facet constitutes smart apps with customer-centric features, while the third facet focuses on smart operations including use of advanced technologies to boost efficiency and facilitate internal operations.

The demand for smart healthcare services is only seen rising in Dubai where the population reached 3.35 million last year — and is expected to reach between 4.96 million to 5.73 million by 2030.

Public-private collaboration key to UAE’s smart healthcare future

The private sector has a key role to play in meeting the demands of smart healthcare in the UAE as elsewhere in the Middle East. Meeting the demands of integrated healthcare for the population depends upon close collaboration between the government and the private sector. “It is of utmost importance to have “continuous collaboration between government policy makers and the private health sector to develop and implement advancements in healthcare technology in the UAE,” Stolz tells International Finance.

However, healthtech startups in the UAE might, however, face challenges in scaling up because of challenges in the healthcare and entrepreneurial ecosystem. According to Ahmad Al Hidiq, funding opportunities are sufficient in healthcare services and facilitations such as portals and booking platforms. However, they are inadequate when it comes to innovations around triage, patient records, wearable devices, vital analytics and other innovative technologies. This gap can be bridged if “investments and partnerships with hospital groups and research centres that closely work with governments and established investors open the door for entrepreneurs who are looking to solve key healthcare challenges,” he says.

Barlow also shares a similar view on healthcare investment, emphasising that there is lack of sophistication across the GCC region in terms of venture capital and private equity. “But if you have a strong value proposition and a path to scale outside the UAE, the opportunities for capital are greatly increased,” he adds.
That said, UAE healthcare is still young and has the potential to lead to interesting opportunities for healthtech investors. In this regard, KPMG’s Stolz told International Finance, “Certain first movers in the UAE’s healthcare technology might enjoy greater influence with regard to healthcare policy specific to their technologies.”

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