Chronic care patients to get appointment same day
dubai — The Dubai Hospital will introduce an advanced appointment scheduling system so that patients with chronic diseases are provided with same-day appointments across multiple specialties, said a top health official. The move seeks to provide patients with convenience and ensure regular follow-up with a multidisciplinary team of specialists, said Dr Abdulrehman Al Jassmi, CEO of Dubai Hospital.
The announcement was made during the monthly ‘Leaders at Your Service’ initiative — a two hour live session — that gives customers the chance to directly communicate with health leaders, give suggestions, feedback or complaints.
Al Jassmi, said: “The move will help patients with chronic diseases as they can schedule their appointments with specialists on the same day. For example, a patient with cardiac and renal problems can meet with a cardiologist and a nephrologist on the same day. However, sometimes same-day scheduling may not be possible because of the different time frames of treatment or unavailability of slot on the day.”
Al Jassmi added that general patients should ensure they reach the clinic at least 10 minutes prior to the appointment time. They should recheck the date and time of their follow-up visit before they leave the hospital to avoid rescheduling their appointment, he said.
He added that patients should regularly update their details including their contact numbers.
During the two-hour live session, Al Jassmi addressed several queries and took feedback and suggestions.
Praising the services provided by the Dubai Hospital, a young caller said she had come to the hospital for dialysis and the staff provided her with excellent services.
Shaikha Al Rahoomi, Director of Customer Relations Department at the DHA, said the Leaders at Your Service initiative is taking place for the 15th consecutive month and has received excellent feedback. Calls received during the live session via the DHA’s help line number 800 342 are recorded and promptly followed-up. In addition to this, the DHA has several platforms for customers to communicate with the Authority.