Dubai, 25 January 2012: An illness can strike at any time, but when it happens, having a physician available to discuss symptoms and seek appropriate care is reassuring. This is now made possible with the going live of the Around-the-Clock Physician Help Line – a joint initiative launched by Mobile Doctors 24-7 International, approved and licensed by the Dubai Health Care City and supported by du.
To be initially offered to 40,000 select du customers for a free trial period of 60 days, the initiative seeks to reduce unnecessary emergency rooms visits and over-utilization of healthcare services by offering phone-based access to qualified physicians – around-the-clock, and free of any charge. The announcement coincides with Arab Health 2012, wherein du is supporting the first ever mobile health conference MplusHealth on 24 January as the exclusive Knowledge Partner.
Supported by du, the service offers a scalable array of clinical management services designed to provide timely access to needed services, facilitate coordination of care, and enable alternatives to hospital care where appropriate. Most critically for the member patients, Around-the-Clock Physician Help Line’s integrated clinical model provides the appropriate level of care at the time of need.
“Across the region there is already a huge burden on healthcare systems due to rising costs, scarce resources and lack of capacity. Supporting an innovation that allows real time access to quality healthcare from the convenience of your home and respecting the mobility our customers demand, is our goal. As a progressive telecom service provider, we are perhaps best positioned to offer our expertise to leverage emerging technologies that can improve physician productivity and patient care via dedicated help lines, mobile hotspots, wireless medical monitoring devices, tablet computers, and smartphones,” commented Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du.
“We provide a 24-7 access to quality healthcare through our physician helpline, offering patients timely care and desired convenience by providing those who call with the opportunity to speak directly with a local, licensed and qualified physician regarding their health needs. If you or your family member is sick, you may not be sure what to do, and it may seem like the Emergency Room is your only option. That is not true anymore. Patients who call our helpline with any health care needs or concerns are able to speak with a physician, who will understand the history and assess and advise on the best options for the patient. We are excited that du is our local U.A.E. partner in this endeavor,” stated Adam Chilcote, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, of Mobile Doctors 24-7 International.
“Employees of du have now had access to this innovative service from Mobile Doctors 24-7 International since November 2011 with excellent results and a very positive user experience” added Dr Mansoor Anwar, Director of Medical & Occupational Health Services at du. “We are excited about the potential for wellness, coordinated healthcare and reduction in insurance premium that this service will enable. Furthermore the service will allow a platform for more visibility on the prevalence of chronic diseases and will provide a way to better monitor and control the burden of these diseases.”