Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, and Injazat Data Systems create smarter healthcare with Malaffi
Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DOH) and Injazat Data Systems have partnered to create Malaffi, meaning ‘my file’ in Arabic, the region’s first Health Information Exchange platform. Through Malaffi, healthcare professionals in Abu Dhabi have access to patients’ longitudinal medical files. To date, the system stores more than 81 million unique clinical records and provides access to the platform to over 24,500 end-users from more than 500 facilities. The list of connected facilities currently includes all the major healthcare groups in Abu Dhabi including like Abu Dhabi Healthcare Services Company (SEHA), Mediclinic, Mubadala Healthcare, United Eastern Medical Services, Capital Health, NMC Healthcare and VPS Healthcare, and the most of the stand-alone hospitals. Malaffi has recently marked a milestone by starting to connect the medical centres and clinics.
Atif Al Braiki, Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi Health Data Services, explained, “The DOH initiated Malaffi as the key component in the digital transformation of the healthcare system in Abu Dhabi, and to improve the healthcare quality and patient outcomes. With many more providers in the onboarding pipeline, through our secure and safe digital platform, we are aiming to connect all public and private healthcare providers in Abu Dhabi. Ultimately, clinicians will have more information about their patients, enabling them to improve the delivery of healthcare.”
Allowing the real-time exchange of patient data, the centralised platform streamlines the unification of the medical records. Having access to this information simplifies care coordination and transition of care between different healthcare providers.
Patients with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk of experiencing severe symptoms from COVID-19. By having access to real-time test results and the relevant information from their medical history, front-line medical workers are empowered to make quicker and more effective first-response and treatment decisions, when a patient is in the ER for urgent care for example. To strengthen the response to the pandemic, Malaffi has allowed urgent access to its platform for providers that are not yet connected to Malaffi and need to have access to this information to treat COVID-19 patients.
In addition to improving patient safety and overall experience, Malaffi also helps the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi by providing invaluable population health information. With these vital statistics, the government can monitor the quality of healthcare in the emirate, as well as drive important health policies. The data in the platform also helps identify public health risks and gives an effective means to measure the emirate’s emergency preparedness and response management.
Additionally, the DOH is in talks with the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Dubai Health Authority to create a parallel system to centralise patient information across the entire country. Al Braiki added that efforts are underway to launch an app to give patients access to their Malaffi file, which will empower them to better engage in managing their health.
