Okadoc brings Telemedicine to the UAE, connecting patients to over 400 doctors
Okadoc, the leading instant doctor appointment booking platform, announced the launch of its telemedicine solution offering across the UAE. Okadoc fast-tracked the release in response to the growing need for patients to access specialists and general healthcare throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The telemedicine solution will give patients peace of mind, easy access to doctors, and a facility to make payments online for any consultations received.
As the region’s largest telemedicine platform, 38 healthcare providers have already signed on with Okadoc to provide instant access to their doctors. This includes prominent hospitals and clinics such as Emirates Hospitals & Clinics, HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers, Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, Dubai London Clinics, German Medical Center, and iCare. UAE residents are now able to set up virtual consultations with over 400 doctors to date across the country from the safety of their homes.
Okadoc’s platform connects patients with doctors who are already practicing in clinics and hospitals. In doing so, patients can book an appointment with their own doctor or a doctor of their choice within minutes. Users can have a video consultation and chat electronically, transfer, and receive documents such as prescriptions or medical records and pay for their consultations based on their insurance coverage. The platform includes doctors from over 40 specialties, including family medicine, pediatrics, and mental health.
“We are living in unprecedented times where there’s a greater sense of urgency for patients and doctors to be connected. We felt that it was prudent to roll out our telemedicine solution as soon as possible in the UAE and Indonesia where we are already operating, and facilitate an interactive solution for patients to communicate with doctors from the safety of their homes to get the necessary care they need,” said Fodhil Benturquia, Founder & CEO, Okadoc.
Mr. Majd Abu Zant, Chief Operating Officer at United Eastern Medical Group, and CEO of HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers stated, “We are indeed proud to partner with Okadoc and have our facilities including Danat Al Emarat Hospital, HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi listed in this innovative platform, offering video-consultations across the UAE. This has allowed patients to attend remote consultations with their doctors, thus eliminating the need for families to leave their homes unnecessarily during this time of global uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 outbreak unless urgent care is required. To ensure a smooth onboarding process to this new platform, over 180 of our physicians and clinicians have been trained in the past two weeks to use the new solution on Okadoc’s platform.”
“Emirates Hospital and Clinics are happy to offer telemedicine services to our patients via Okadoc. This allows our doctors the opportunity to continue seeing patients and ensure they get the care they need. Okadoc’s technology has made healthcare accessible to everyone during this time. We look forward to using Okadoc during the current pandemic and beyond,” said Walid Achi MD, COO, Emirates Hospitals Group.
The virtual consultation costs the same as an in-house one, the difference being is that prior to making the appointment, the patients input their payment details via the payment gateway to process a pre-authorization. The claim is then processed as per the normal procedure with the insurance provider. Soon, the platform will also allow the option to pay via Apple Pay.
“At a time where most providers are experiencing a tremendous shortfall in patients’ visits, Okadoc utilizes technology to connect patients with doctors quickly on a 24/7 basis, helping transform the existing healthcare model in the region by connecting patients, doctors, and healthcare providers seamlessly, removing any barriers. This allows providers to continue the spectrum of care and keeps the business running,” added Benturquia.
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