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AHG, CommonSpirit Health alliance bolsters RAK healthcare sector

RAK Hospital to triple its capacity to become a 200-bed facility by end of 2024 in order to cater to an increasing local and international demand.

Ras Al Khaimah is taking steps to further advance its growing healthcare sector through the continuation of an alliance between Arabian Healthcare Group (AHG) and CommonSpirit Health, a leading US healthcare provider.

The collaboration, which was first announced in 2018, means that AHG’s flagship brand, the state-of-the-art RAK Hospital, is the only healthcare institution in the region to be aligned with Dignity Health International (DHI), CommonSpirit’s international health representative. The collaboration also heralds an expansion of RAK Hospital, which will triple its capacity to become a 200-bed facility by 2024.

The key areas of collaboration with CommonSpirit, which operates 140 hospitals and more than 1,500 care sites across 21 US states, will include digital innovation, training and education, clinical alignment, care coordination, network expansion and improving the overall patient experience.

With emphasis on cardiac services, orthopedics, neurosciences, musculoskeletal conditions, and rehabilitation, the expansion is designed to allow regional patients to receive fully coordinated care and have access to clinical expertise across DHI’s affiliated network of doctors.

Among the care centres widely recognised with clinical expertise in DHI’s US network are the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona; Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, Texas; and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Seattle, Washington.

Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director of RAK Hospital and Arabian Healthcare Group CEO, said: “RAK Hospital was designed to be a destination hospital for both local and international patients, with its specialized surgical capabilities and best-in-class facilities. Our scalable model allowed us to first win the trust and confidence of the local community and then gain immense popularity with regional and international patients. This natural progression has led to the creation of our unique relationship with CommonSpirit.”

“We are tripling our capacity to become a 200-bed facility by the end of 2024. This will enable us to cater to the increasing influx of medical tourists expected in the United Arab Emirates, as well as to meet the increased demand for quality health care which will be created by implementation of mandatory health insurance in the Northern Emirates in the coming years. The expansion will equip us to serve local and international patients with high-quality care,” added Dr Siddiqui

“The design process has already begun for the expansion, which is in line with DHI’s best practices and protocols. Patients in the region will get US expertise right here in Ras Al Khaimah.”

Digital and smart health practices that are successful in DHI network hospitals will also be implemented at RAK Hospital, while the potential of artificial intelligence will be harnessed to create improved patient experiences. In addition, a further scale-up of telehealth services will be implemented to support the expansion requirements.

"We look forward to expanding our current working relationship with AHG,” said Gregg Davis, CommonSpirit’s system senior vice president and chief administrative officer for DHI. “This collaboration will align our physicians and nurses with providers from AHG, enhancing clinical capabilities available for patients within the MENA region and, ultimately, impacting patient outcomes.”

DHI will support clinical education for the healthcare workforce in the region, which includes a spectrum of support for executive leadership, clinical and non-clinical training for physicians, nurses and other support services such as rehabilitation therapists and case managers. Sharing best practices and innovations across borders to deliver high-quality care is at the core of this alliance. — business@khaleejtimes.com