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The global healthcare tourism industry is set to expand over the next two years, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be at the forefront of this growth.
According to GlobalData, “The UAE is fast becoming a popular destination for medical tourism […] The UAE offers affordable state-of-the-art medical procedures that are continually advancing, attracting medical tourists from Asia and Arab countries. “
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, offers a world-leading environment for established medical institutions and pioneers. Already boasting top-notch medical facilities and pioneering laboratories, the emirate has attracted top international hospitals from around the world, including the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and King’s College London, and ranks first in the world for medical testing capabilities. In Abu Dhabi, innovators in the healthcare industry have access to all the financial incentives, technological infrastructure and collaborative support they need to capitalize on the booming medical tourism market.
On average, more than 15,000 medical tourists visit Abu Dhabi every year to take advantage of its medical institutions. For businesses, these visitors represent a growing opportunity in an environment designed to support innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare.
Medical tourism poised to grow globally
Medical tourism is growing globally and the UAE will be the top country in the Middle East and Africa region for medical tourism inbound spending, followed by South Africa and Egypt.
“The UAE, Turkey, Thailand, Philippines and Mexico are among the fastest growing countries for medical tourism and are all expected to grow at high single-digit and low-double-digit CAGRs over the forecast period [through 2024],” GlobalData research found.
Rising medical costs, reduced travel costs, convenient transportation, and technological advancements have all contributed to the growing popularity of medical tourism, which according to GlobalData, “will continue to grow as medical costs continue to rise.”
Abu Dhabi offers state-of-the-art treatments and a leading location
As the global medical tourism market grows, patients seek suitable treatment destinations. GlobalData found cost and security to be two of their main considerations, as well as the overall experience.
Centrally located between East and West, Abu Dhabi is accessible by millions of people within a four to five hour flight time. Healthcare in Abu Dhabi is public-private with a common goal of developing state-of-the-art medical facilities. Part of the Abu Dhabi government’s economic vision includes excellence in the medical tourism market: “Abu Dhabi intends to compete successfully in this market by developing world-class medical facilities”.
The emirate already has world-leading clinics such as the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi. Patients from around the world travel to Abu Dhabi each year to be treated at the Cleveland Clinic’s world-class multispecialty hospital, which offers complex and critical care expertise across 14 facilities and 40 specialties. In 2018, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi treated 1,380 international patients from more than 93 countries. Etihad Airways and the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi have signed an agreement to help ensure that those seeking treatment in Abu Dhabi are affordable.
Abu Dhabi ranks 8th according to the Medical Tourism Association (MTA)day Ranked #9 out of 46 medical tourism destinations in the 2020-2021 rankingday For the quality of facilities and services. Patients can not only obtain high-end medical services, but also enjoy easy medical visas, ground transportation, hotels and tourism agencies involved.
Healthy Investing in Healthcare Pioneers
Abu Dhabi continues to invest in healthcare innovation. The emirate has partnered with the MTA to promote Abu Dhabi as a medical tourism destination, focusing on specialized areas such as cardiology, oncology and administrative screening. Plastic and cosmetic surgery, along with dentistry, are among the most popular specialties in medical tourism worldwide, according to GlobalData. Top specialties attracting health tourists to the UAE include orthopedics, sports medicine, dermatology and skin care, dentistry and fertility treatment.
As part of the MTA agreement, Abu Dhabi is targeting medical tourists from markets such as Russia, China and the GCC. China has seen one of the largest increases in healthcare costs since 2010, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% from 2010 to 2018.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) supports healthcare businesses in the form of financial and non-financial incentives. Healthcare and biopharmaceuticals are industries targeted by its AED2 billion ($545 million) innovation program, which has helped forge prestigious partnerships to bring advanced healthcare technologies, best practices and world-class standards to the emirate , and gain access to emerging investment opportunities.
Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri, Executive Director of Community Health at Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, said one of Abu Dhabi’s priorities is early detection and prevention: “We have a program in Abu Dhabi that combines cardiovascular screening with cancer screening and early detection of mental health, and [we also] Target older people to look for early signs of possible dementia as well as hearing and vision abnormalities,” Al Hajeri said at a recent UAE Business Council and UK healthcare event.
Technology Boosts Medical Tourism
For patients seeking medical services overseas, telemedicine reduces barriers to treatment planning and consultation, and telemedicine utilizes advanced technology to improve patient convenience and compliance.
GlobalData found: “Cloud technology enhances medical tourism by allowing patients to seek the care they need and store their health information digitally.” Abu Dhabi is home to large data centers and leading international cloud service providers including Oracle, AWS and Microsoft, ready to deliver next-generation healthcare to international patients.
As part of its support for healthcare innovation, ADIO announced a new partnership with health cloud company Innovaccer. The partnership aims to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of healthcare in the Middle East. Under ADIO’s innovation programme, Innovaccer will receive financial and non-financial incentives to set up a regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The company’s regional headquarters will create more than 80 jobs to support development, marketing, sales, implementation, customer support and other operations throughout the region.
Medical tourism benefits the entire economy
The GlobalData analysis found that: “Overall, the countries with the largest inbound medical tourist spending expected to be by 2024 have well-established medical tourism industries, and most are building on existing tourism structures.”
In Abu Dhabi, tourists and medical tourists alike have discovered a lively city full of experiences. For those looking to unwind, the city offers a range of spas and resorts dedicated to health and wellness, as well as state-of-the-art medical research. According to Dr. Omniyat, “We are open to innovation, and we are open to clinical trials on patient safety to determine future life-saving approaches.”
Medical tourism presents a win-win situation. Patients can receive better and more affordable care than at home, and businesses can benefit from the rapid expansion of the market. In Abu Dhabi, healthcare businesses can find a well-developed healthcare sector and an ideal environment for continued growth, thanks to the government’s commitment to growing the sector and investing in healthcare innovation.
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