Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the largest healthcare network in the UAE, has implemented additional safety precautions and procedures across its facilities to ensure patient safety and protection when visiting SEHA facilities and clinics.
The network has implemented strict safety measures to protect both patients and staff, such as controlled entry with disinfection and temperature checks at the entrance, glass barriers between reception staff and patients at registration, redesign of waiting rooms in line with social distancing guidelines and the closure of cafeterias and prayer rooms. SEHA has also spread out and re-scheduled appointments to avoid crowds and high footfall.
In parallel, all SEHA facilities will undergo round-the-clock cleaning and sanitization of all communal areas and surfaces such as waiting rooms, toilets, doorknobs, and light switches, among others.
Rashed Saif Al Qubaisi, Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer, SEHA, said: “SEHA’s drive to respond to the community’s needs is closely aligned with the government’s vision of supporting the community in every way possible during this challenging time. We have remained focused on delivering ongoing treatment solutions for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients as the nation’s trusted healthcare leader. But while we are on the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic and continue to advance our efforts in this area, it is vital that patients requiring non-COVID-19 treatment continue to access the world-class care they need. This is why we have gone above and beyond to ensure safety measures that meet and exceed international benchmarks at all our facilities.”
All SEHA facilities will have clearly isolated and marked wards, walkways, and entrance points for members of the community who present with COVID-19 symptoms or are tested positive and for staff who are caring for patients with the virus. In addition, all hospital staff will undergo regular COVID-19 testing.
SEHA will continue the new services and offerings launched over the past few months to decrease unnecessary footfall at hospitals. These include home care visits for vulnerable patients, home delivery of prescribed medication, telemedicine consultations and drive through centers for select services such as vaccinations for infants. Al Ain Hospital, Mafraq Hospital and Al RahbaHospital will remain as facilities exclusively treating coronavirus and quarantine patients.
Dr. Anwar Sallam, Chief Medical Officer, SEHA, said: “The healthcare landscape is changing both globally and locally as we transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of this outbreak, SEHA has played an integral role in the nation’s response to the virus as part of our commitment to providing world-class care for the community. It is vitally important that patients continue accessing healthcare to treat non-COVID-19 conditions, which is why we have put in place a wide range of measures to ensure our facilities are completely safe for patients and visitors. We remain focused on clinical excellence, with patient care and experience at the heart of our approach, delivered by our exceptional medical teams.”
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the UAE, SEHA established 24 facilities across the nation to expand testing capabilities and build on the existent healthcare infrastructure, performed 840,000+ COVID-19 tests, established three field hospitals with 3,400 beds as a precautionary measure, completed 100,000+ remote consultations through the Telemedicine Virtual Outpatient Clinic and delivered 120,000+ prescriptions to patient homes.
