Testing time: Medics go under the scanner

Authorities in Dubai will investigate the background of all expatriate doctors in their home countries, a top official said.

Around 25,000 medical practitioners and "allied professions" now have to earn a new operating licence under a healthcare reform campaign spearheaded by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

"We’ll carry out primary source verification – checking from the source where every paper was issued," Dr Eisa Kazim, Director, DHA Health Regulation, said.

The certificates, training and medical practice history of all Dubai healthcare professionals will go under the DHA scanner as part of its "grandfathering process" to renew – or not to renew – medical licences.

Thorough checking

Kazim said the DHA will directly contact the academic and training institution and previous employer of every doctor seeking a medical practice in Dubai.

"We’ll check what their reasons for leaving were and so on. The process may take about a month."

He added that DHA will not depend only on foreign ministries and state departments for checking the credentials and professional history of expat doctors.

All physicians from both the public and private sector in Dubai have been asked to apply for fresh licences by the end of January.

"Doctors must buy into this project because it will help patients. Waiting lines and theatre times will be reduced. We’re accountable to the public; the safety and health of the population is one of our main goals," Kazim said.

Doctors’ standards in Dubai have been controlled by several government departments, including the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) and Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) in addition to the Ministry of Health requirements.

Private healthcare providers hold additional "qualification-and-experience" expectations for practitioners. "This has resulted in inconsistencies and varying qualities and placed a burden on providers," Kazim said.

Patients meanwhile lodged 80 complaints related to medical malpractice and negligence against public and private hospitals in Dubai in June last year.

And authorities in 2006 had declared almost 40 per cent of similar cases as valid grievances (story on www.xpress4me.com).

DHA taking over

The DHA is gradually taking over Dohms’ power to issue licences and handle patient complaints. Dohms’ Licensing and Specification Division has already "moved into" the DHA fold since November.

Kazim said the licences of professionals "not up to the required level" – even after a grace period to take medical exams and training – will be suspended or "not renewed". The ones who qualify will be awarded a new licence, to be renewed every two years.

"There have to be performance indicators and outcome measures," Kazim said. He added that the DHA may ask doctors to rate each other on predetermined standards. The developments will "not lead to a police-type state" within the healthcare community. "This is an evolutionary and transparent process. There will be checks, balances and accountability," he said.

"The project was launched in December after consulting various healthcare groups in Dubai and in the US, UK, Australia and Singapore," said Tamara Muir, health professional licensing manager at the DHA.

Any costs associated with the checks must not be passed on to the patient, Kazim said.

in short

Medical professionals must prove they have completed medical schooling, a year’s internship and a speciality certificate. Physicians found lacking in the above will be asked to sit for relevant exams and undergo CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programmes, which they must complete within a predeter-mined number of attempts and period of time. A list of the criteria and the actions that may be taken by the DHA against professionals found "deficient" is available on its website, www.dha.gov.ae