Arab Health 2024: How Dubai Health Authority uses AI to detect health risks and reduce treatment costs

On Monday, the three-day Arab Health exhibition and conference was inaugurated by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking on the occasion of the opening of the event, Sheikh Maktoum said that under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai’s healthcare sector is ready to further cement its benchmarks of excellence by providing best-in-class infrastructure, implementing the latest technologies and attracting qualified talent.

“Dubai’s focus on providing high-quality, patient-centered healthcare through strong public-private partnerships has significantly enhanced its reputation as a leading regional and global healthcare hub. By bringing together the world’s leading healthcare institutions and expertise and fostering an environment of excellence and innovation in the sector, Dubai continues to cement its status as a premier healthcare destination. Healthcare remains one of our top priorities, in line with the government’s goal of making Dubai one of the best places in the world to live and work,” Sheikh Maktoum added.

Using more than 360 million activities, diagnoses and patient notes since the system’s launch in mid-2022, EJADA Ai identifies people most susceptible to diabetes risks and reduces the financial burden of the disease by 30 percent. percent improving the healthy lifestyle of the population.

Saleh Al Hashimi, CEO of Dubai Health Insurance Corporation at the Authority, stated that the EJADA Ai system has managed to identify diabetes patients most prone to complications and disease risks, as well as those closest to them. to develop diabetes.

Al Hashimi said that proactive preventive measures taken based on data collected through AI aim to protect patients with diabetes from possible deterioration in health and prevent people at risk from developing diabetes.

According to the Dubai Health Accounts System, in 2022, health spending in the region reached Dh21.4 billion, with Dh21.2 billion spent within Dubai and Dh179 million outside the emirate.

The cost of treating diabetic patients covered by health insurance alone has exceeded two billion dirhams in Dubai, Al Hashimi said. However, proactive preventive measures will allow the Authority to reduce the financial burden, both for the treatment of patients with diabetes and those at risk, by 25 to 30 percent. “This demonstrates the importance of the DHA adopting a next-generation AI-driven system.”

Wedad Binbraik, director of the DHA’s Department of Health Economics and Insurance Policy, told Gulf News that diabetes, along with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, has been selected as one of the three diseases chronic in the initial phase of AI. project. He highlighted the role of AI in identifying high risks using various indicators, which go beyond lifestyle factors. “We no longer predict elevated risks based solely on lifestyle issues.

“AI helps link various factors that may manifest in different tests and provides a comprehensive narrative that extends beyond lifestyle influences.”

Al Hashimi said: “The measures taken by the Authority for preventive healthcare are implemented transparently and precisely between health insurance experts, the DHA Public Health Protection Department and in close collaboration with insurance companies. and health care centers. This is in addition to the two companies, Merck Gulf and AstraZeneca Gulf, which are partners of the Authority in the implementation of the initiative to improve the early detection, prediction and management of chronic diseases.”

The system aims to move from a volume-based model to a value-based model.

Al Hashimi said that the DHA has identified 30 important diseases as priorities within the system until 2025, based on the Main Diagnostic Categories (MDC), considering various factors, including the growing number of patients, the increasing number of claims and the significant cost burden.

“More than 50 percent of the selected clinical recommendations and key performance indicator (KPI) documents have been developed through collaborative efforts with expert committees to ensure ongoing compliance with these essential clinical recommendations and KPI guidelines. The Authority has also provided advanced training programs for more than 2,000 healthcare providers and insurance companies, totaling 3,750 hours of training, covering more than half of the diseases specified in the program.

Regarding the important advantages of the EJADA Ai system, Al Hashimi indicated that these advantages revolve around seven main axes, namely:

Rich data: EJADA Ai uses an extensive set of electronic claims data in Dubai, including data from approximately 4 million insured people and more than 360 million activities, diagnoses and patient notes since the system’s launch in mid-2022 .

Comprehensive solution for chronic diseases: Unlike many artificial intelligence systems that focus on a single aspect of chronic diseases, EJADA Ai provides personalized information for chronic diseases at all stages, to meet the needs of diagnosed and undiagnosed patients. diagnosed.

Early Detection and Intervention: EJADA Ai provides risk scores to identify undiagnosed individuals and those at high risk among the general population, enabling early intervention and prevention of chronic diseases.

Managing Disease Complications: EJADA Ai delivers insights, risk scores and complications of high-cost disease, helping healthcare specialists deal with disease progression and improve patient outcomes.

Disease Prediction and Resource Optimization: EJADA Ai facilitates accurate planning and budget allocation by predicting diseases, providing a comprehensive view of expected costs for each disease, and detailing categories such as drug expenses, hospital care, and consultation fees.

Advanced technology and real-time adaptability: EJADA Ai benefits from advanced learning models for data accumulated over time, providing dynamic predictions and risk scores updated with any change in the patient’s condition.

Leading solution for global impact: As the first of its kind in the region and a leading global model, EJADA Ai serves as a comprehensive solution for chronic disease management and prevention, enhancing Dubai’s position as a healthcare destination distinguished overall.