Hospital of the Month

In a new series, beginning this issue, we are nominating UAE hospitals that make it to the top grade.  This month Prime Health Care Group’s flagship multispecialty hospital - PRIME Hospital, Garhoud - has been selected for top health care delivery, personalized patient care, state-of-the-art facilities, and above all a humane and compassionate approach with a willingness to act and resolve cases.

A hospital with a personal touch

When Wendy Hockings 55, and her husband Angus Thornton 57, residents of Alice Springs, Australia arrived in Dubai on March 12, 2020, during a three-day stopover, en route their UK-Melbourne flight, after a family holiday, the COVID-19 pandemic was just unfolding. While Italy, Iran, and China were in the news, Wendy had no idea that the UK was a hotspot too.  During the transit, when the thermal scanner at the airport picked out Wendy for her high fever and later, she tested positive for COVID-19, she was transferred to a negative pressure room in PRIME Hospital near the airport. Wendy lived in the negative pressure room for 18 days, while her husband Angus too subsequently tested positive. As per protocol then, the couple then was shifted to a hotel room where they quarantined until both test swabs showed they were negative. Only then, after spending nearly a month in a country where they hardly knew anyone, were the couple able to fly back in the second week of April 2020.

The couple was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed by the personalized care they received at PRIME Hospital and while leaving Dubai, Wendy said, “I had no idea that UAE had such an excellent health care system.  I feel the timely help I received at Prime Hospital, played a great role in helping us recover from COVID-19!,”

Tailor-made options for patients

Personalized care personally is a slogan that is taken very seriously at PRIME Hospital and is deeply ingrained in the DNA of the hospital.  From the time a patient walks into the reception and gets registered, he or she is taken care of, at every step, from an initial basic parameter check-up until he or she reaches the doctor’s cabin.

Services at a- glance

• Round-the-clock 24/7 Emergency care
• Advanced Cardiac Cath Lab
• Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Coronary Care Unit
• Neonatal ICU
• Child and maternity floor
• Other Medical and Surgical departments

,A fruition of a dream

A hospital is the labor of love and fruition of a dream harbored by Dr Jamil Ahmed, founder and managing director of PRIME Healthcare Group which started as a small clinic in Deira in 1999.  An accomplished surgeon, Dr. Jamil Ahmed completed his MBBS degree and MS in orthopedic surgery from India and a fellowship in Trauma and reconstructive surgery from Germany started the group with the intention of providing premium health care for all patients. Today, while Dr. Jamil Ahmed is recognized among the Top 100 healthcare leaders in the region, PRIME Healthcare has evolved from that single humble clinic into a group that organically evolved into multiple verticals such as pharmacies, clinics, diagnostic centers, and finally the hospital. 

Multi-specialty services by a multicultural team

Today, the 100-bed hospital is the flagship of the group with over 500 personnel including doctors, nurses, paramedics, and health care technicians, drawn from multiple nationalities, which makes it truly global in approach. The healthcare professionals at PRIME believe in not just treating patients and dispensing medication but forging personal one-on-one ties with each patient. Being invested emotionally in each patient and making their stay comfortable culturally, socially, and gastronomically and on other levels of human interaction is what makes PRIME Hospital stand eons above others.

Unique recognition

It is little wonder then that the hospital was honored as the Best Hospital in the UAE, in the Patient Voice Awards by Doctify Award recently in 2022.

The Patient Voice Awards is an innovative data-driven award program that recognizes healthcare providers who prioritize patient feedback and promote trust and transparency in healthcare. The award is based on patient reviews and ratings on the Doctify platform, which is a leading healthcare review and booking website in the U.K.

Expressing happiness at this recognition, Dr. Jamil Ahmed said, “We are honored to receive this award, which is a testament to our commitment to providing personalized care for over two decades. Our staff works tirelessly to provide the highest quality care to our patients, and this recognition is a testament to their dedication and hard work."

Aesthetic Patient-friendly interiors 

Designed by the internationally acclaimed design firm DWP, following American Institute of Architects Hospital Architecture (AIA) guidelines and purpose-built as per JCI standards, the white and orange color combination brings calm and warmth simultaneously.  The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, sourced from world-class brands. 

International Accreditations

Besides external trappings, what really matters is the core qualities of excellence and that is ensured by the recognition PRIME Hospital has received with a string of international accreditations. In 2016 PRIME Hospital Dubai successfully earned full Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCI) which is considered the Gold Standard of international excellence. In 2019, the hospital was also granted the Australian Council for Health Care Standards (ACHSI), for its quality and safety standards in patient care which is an international gold stamp for excellent medical practices in patient care and safety that falls under Dubai Healthcare Authority’s rules and regulations.

Not resting on this laurel, PRIME Hospital continued to gather international recognition with more awards and accreditations such as: 

• the ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management certification in 2022

•  The ACHSI Quality Improvement Award in Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety - Highly Commended “Antibiotic Stewardship Program in 2022.

• ACHS International Medal 2022, awarded o Dr Jamil Ahmed, Managing Director in recognition of his distinguished leadership in Quality practices

• The recognition for adoption of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)’s Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) Stage 6 in 2022. Incidentally, this was the first UAE home-grown Electronic Medical Record.

• Certified ISO 15189 and 2008 – 9001

Emirati Genome Program partner

PRIME Hospital has comprehensive healthcare services in the field and in the forefront of medical innovation. Now it has become the first private healthcare provider to participate in the Emirati Genome Program which demonstrates its efforts to stay at the frontier of medical innovation and technology to provide the best to its patients the best and latest in medical care. 

The EGP is a public-private partnership between the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi and G42 Healthcare. Its aim is to refine the de novo Emirati reference genome and use it to transform healthcare in the UAE. By coming forward as a private healthcare provider to join the EGO, Prime has demonstrated its emphasis on the preventive healthcare system and ensuring that the health of the nation is futureproofed.

Digitalization and Innovation

With a focus on digitalization and innovation, PRIME Hospital is constantly striving to enhance the quality of care provided to patients.

One of our latest initiatives is the Falak Tayyeb Remote Chronic Disease Management Program, a comprehensive, holistic, and inclusive intervention initiative that is designed to support patients with chronic conditions, particularly diabetes. It is recognized by the ELETS Global Healthcare Summit 2023 awarded as the best technology for patient support.

Based on our core values of patient-centeredness, advanced treatments, evidence-based care, and compassion, the program offers remote patient monitoring care (RPM) that has numerous benefits, including lower readmission rates in ERs, hospitals, and care facilities, measurable cost savings, enhanced quality of care, improved medication compliance, and more effective feedback. 

At the forefront of Telehealth

Believing in the delivery of healthcare services and information via telecommunications technologies, PRIME also gives access to medical care to its patients via telehealth services in the comfort of their own homes, without the need to physically visit a healthcare facility. Our telehealth services are world-class, having received accreditation from ASCHI. Whether you are seeking a one-time consultation or ongoing support for a chronic condition, the telehealth team makes sure healthcare delivery takes place via remote consultation with no compromise on the continuum of healthcare.

AI-powered tests for preventive health

Another area where we are using digitalization and innovation is in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). With our AI-based tests, we assist doctors at PRIME Hospital identify people who are at risk of developing diabetes or heart disease early, and thus prevent the onset of these conditions. The hospital has developed AI-based risk-score assessments. These are based on lifestyle factors, genetic profile, family history, and medical records, and can predict if a person is at mild, moderate, or high risk of developing these conditions from months to years. These comprehensive and holistic risk assessments, integrated with clinical decision support tools help patients better understand their risk and take proactive steps to improve their health.

Future for centers of excellence providing the best tertiary care.

New 450 million hospitals by Prime health care at Dubai Healthcare City

Prime Healthcare Group announced the launch of a new super specialty hospital at Dubai Healthcare City during Arab Health 2022. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on December 8, 2022, and was attended by prominent figures from the healthcare industry, including His Excellency Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director General Dubai Health Authority, His Excellency Jamal Abdulsalam, CEO, of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, Mr. Essa Al Ghurair, Chairman of Essa Al Ghurair Investments, Dr Jamil Ahmed, Founder and Managing Director of Prime Healthcare, and other officials from DHA and DHCC.

The new hospital, designed by a leading international design consultant, will be a transformative well-being destination, covering nine floors and 33,000 square meters, with a capacity of 140 beds. It will offer advanced non-invasive, interventional procedures and specialized rehabilitation facilities for heart, lung, and oncology diseases and a wide range of other specialties.

Centers of excellence

The hospital will have three centers of excellence in heart, lung, and oncology. The Heart Care Center of Excellence will offer invasive and non-invasive diagnostic procedures and interventional procedures for coronary artery disease, valve disorders, structural heart disorders, and arrhythmias. It will also offer cardiac rehabilitation services in addition to electrophysiology, cardiac physiology, and complex cardiac interventions.

The Lung Care Center of Excellence will address all aspects of diagnosis, management, and treatment of respiratory conditions, including advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques such as endobronchial ultrasound, bronchoscopy with high-volume lavage, transbronchial lung biopsy, and whole lung lavage.

The Marie Curie Cancer Institute (MCCI) will offer a 360-degree comprehensive cancer care system, with three verticals covering medical oncology, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology. All treatment plans will be tailored to suit the specific needs of patients.

In addition to specialized diagnosis, care, and treatment of complex heart, lung, and cancer conditions, the new hospital will also employ leading-edge treatment technologies such as specialized robotic surgery, hybrid operating rooms, and hybrid catheterization labs.

Personalized healthcare delivery

Dr. Jamil Ahmed said, “PRIME Healthcare Group strives to chart new paths in the field of transformative, technology, and digitally driven healthcare. Collaborating with the prestigious and trusted international consultants in this field, we intend to achieve the goals of bringing personalized health care for our patients and contributing to their happier futures.”