The promise of the services sector: A United Arab Emirates perspective- case study

Abstract

United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Gulf Region value their health care system above any other social program. The UAE's system of health care faces significant financial and population pressures, relating to cost, access, quality, accountability, and the integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The privatization of many Governmental hospitals by foreign specialized Institutions in the UAE may play an increasingly significant role in these initiatives, as the management of health information becomes a more crucial factor in the successful delivery of health care services in the new millennium. The new corporate body ‘John Hopkins Health System’ is developing a pan-UAE electronic health solution. The Ministry of Health and privatization initiatives will play an increasingly significant role in these initiatives, as the management of health information becomes a more crucial factor in the successful delivery of health care services in the present time. The major objectives of the paper was to analyze the changing social contexts and factors influencing the transformation from a real community to a virtual community by the adoption of e-Health, and to propose actions needed to create an enabling environment for e-health services growth and utilization in the UAE. This paper places access and authorization issues in an overall policy context through describing current UAE initiatives.