UAE: One of Dubai's oldest hospitals to enter new era
September 4, 2022
By Expat Media
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UAE: One of Dubai's oldest hospitals to enter new era
One of Dubai's oldest hospitals has undergone a multimillion-dirham renovation to improve patient services and shorten their stay.
During the pandemic, which put a significant strain on hospital services, major changes were made at Dubai Hospital.
Since 1983, the Deira facility has functioned as Dubai's and much of the Northern Emirates' primary government hospital.
The hospital had begun a significant makeover months before the pandemic struck.
With limited capacity in its accident and emergency ward and other areas undergoing substantial work at a time when services were most required, the timing could not have been worse.
Dr Mariam Al Raisi, the hospital’s chief executive said that the work was done in three phases, it was a hard time during the pandemic since there was only half the work completed at that time.
“We had to launch plan B [for] how to make patients safe in the hospitals and separate Covid and non-Covid areas. The emergency area and surgical [intensive care] wards were critical during Covid so it was important that work was prioritized," she added.
Beds in the surgical critical care unit were increased from nine to thirteen, and another unit was turned into a temporary Covid ICU ward while the upgrades were being made.
Negative pressure chambers, which were crucial in isolating Covid patients during the pandemic, were increased from 20 to 199.
Staff can now see how long patients have been waiting on a dashboard, with a four-hour threshold for triaging and treating patients when they arrive at the hospital.
To reduce the risk of infection, there has also been a shift toward fewer patients on open wards and more private rooms.
During the pandemic, VIP wards for men and women were entirely refurbished, and laboratory testing was improved to maintain all analysis on-site.
A new multi-story car park for 900 automobiles was also completed, as was an ophthalmology clinic.
"Covid gave us an opportunity to redesign parts of the hospital and bring in other services we had wished for to improve patient flow," said Dr Jamal Al Saleh, Dubai Hospital's Chief Medical Officer.
Dr Jamal Al Saleh added that the current structure was renovated, and capacity was increased, since people were being delayed for appointments due to poor parking, thus it was a simple remedy that benefited the facility.
They also examined the patient's route through the hospital and identified ways to improve efficiency.
Prior to Covid, the average wait time for an appointment was 30 days, but with the fast track, that time has been reduced to 19 days.
Other recent additions include nuclear medicine and psychological services, as well as a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber that will open soon to aid surgery patients' recovery.
Nuclear medicine and psychological services have also recently been added, as well as a hyperbaric oxygen therapy room that will open soon to enhance surgical patients' recuperation.
Most of the hospital's 20,000 yearly patients will be affected by work to enhance capacity and create new fast-track clinics for people being treated for breast cancer.
With a total bed capacity of 627, Dubai Hospital provides outpatient and inpatient treatments in 26 medical and surgical specialties.
In 2021, there were 19,813 admissions, including 65,551 emergency cases.
Last year, surgeons completed 7,945 surgeries, with many heart patients requiring intensive care to recuperate.
The surgical ICU at Dubai Hospital is managed by Naheed Iqbal, a critical care registrar.
“It has been an easing out for us, as we were so busy during Covid, working 18-hour shifts and almost overwhelmed with patients,” claimed Ms Iqbal.
“During Ramadan in 2020, we worked throughout dressed in full PPE while fasting, so it was tough."
She stated that she had seven patients in on the weekend, who are most for post-cardiac surgery, which to her is different. They currently have just a couple of patients in, claiming that it hasn’t been this quiet for three years. KMB/Expat Media
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