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Dohms brings colour codes

DUBAI — To get quick identification of individuals suffering from diabetes, asthma, hyperlipedemia or hypertension by medical staff in the event of an emergency, the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) has introduced a colour coding system, placing different colour stickers on patients’ health cards depending on what chronic condition they suffer from.

“In the event someone is found unconscious on the side of the road and is taken by ambulance or police to hospital, by simply checking his/her health card they can determine what medical condition he/she is suffering from, which will allow for rapid life-saving intervention without the need to refer to the patient’s file, which is time consuming,” said Dr Adnan Julfar, Director of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Department at the Dohms.

Dr Julfar told Khaleej Times that just a glance at the patient’s health card allows doctors and nurses to decide, based on the chronic condition a patient is suffering from, what treatment to be given and how fast.

“We started first implementing the colour coding system with diabetics. Now we have completed colour coding patients’ health cards for all four major chronic conditions,” Dr Julfar said.

He added that once a patient arrives at the emergency room, possibly in an unconscious state, rapid intervention is vital to save the patient’s life. A patient with ischaemic heart disease, artherosclyrosis, asthma, high blood pressure, require different types of intervention.