A Sharjah-based healthcare company has announced its latest venture; what it is dubbing the “Middle East’s first e-hospital”.

Mulk Healthcare, which is part of the UAE’s Mulk Holdings International, has unveiled its digital hospital project designed to bring “disruptive futuristic healthcare solutions to consumers of the GCC,” it said in a statement.

Launching as a downloadable app this August, the Mulk E-Hospital will reportedly offer a range of healthcare services, including initial doctor-consultations, and post-hospital care.

What differentiates this solution from other regional telemedicine offerings is that the service will host medical specialists from all over the world. According to the company, Mulk E-Hospital will provide “quality healthcare from the best international experts in each medical field based in the United States, United Kingdom, Thailand, Pakistan, Europe and India, in addition to those in the UAE and other GCC countries.

“This way, [the] E-Hospital offers global healthcare services from a pool of international experts to the patients in the UAE,” the statement added.

Over 2,000 doctors from around the world have already signed up with the service.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

The case for virtual hospitals in the GCC and wider Middle East region is stronger than ever, since the outbreak of COVID-19 that caused cities to be put under lockdown since late February. To avoid the spread of the coronavirus, residents in many regional territories have been advised to only visit a hospital or clinic for emergencies.

In March, the UAE’s Ministry of Health announced it was working with one of the country’s top telecom operators to set up the region’s first virtual hospital. A month later, two Dubai-based private healthcare entities, Aster DM Healthcare and HealthHub by Al-Futtaim, introduced their own video-conference consultation services, while the UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced it had approved more telemedicine solutions for use in the country.

Moreover, UAE-based doctor appointment booking platform, Okadoc fast-tracked the launch of its telemedicine solution to May. The startup had originally planned to launch later on in 2020, but brought it forward in response to the growing need for remote healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ON THE RECORD

“E-Hospital is the future of healthcare services and brings the entire healthcare services [at] your fingertips – from booking an online appointment to online consultation; sharing health data; securing insurance approvals; getting medical advice; prescriptions… – all through the digital space,” said Nawab Shafi Ul Mulk, president of Mulk Healthcare. “In this age of globalisation and digitisation, a patient’s health issues don’t need to be limited to the consultation or treatment of a few doctors in the neighbourhood [they] live [in]. With Mulk E-Hospital, we are bringing the best consultant physicians and healthcare solutions to the patients through our app.

“Mulk E-Hospital is a hospital without borders and unlocks the potential of healthcare services with unlimited possibilities. The COVID-19 social distancing prohibits most patients to physically visit clinics and hospitals, and we are offering the perfect solution to address this concern.”