Primary Health Care in the UAE

The primary healthcare system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has undergone significant expansion and development over the past half century to meet the changing needs of the population and the healthcare environment. Advances included the development of comprehensive ambulatory care facilities providing preventive, immediate, urgent, and chronic care as well as health promotion; the shift from general practitioner-led care to a team-based certified family practitioner-led model; increasing adoption of the patient-centered medical home model; a commitment to a patient-centered care strategy; and the implementation of modern healthcare informatics, including telemedicine and the adoption of the electronic medical record. There is an opportunity for the primary healthcare sector to serve as the quality foundation of the UAE healthcare sector, meeting the goals of increasing health equity, cost efficiency, and health for all Emirates. Challenges that must be addressed include reducing dependence on expatriate healthcare professionals, expanding the number of family medicine practitioners, increasing the nursing workforce, implementing a privacy and security regulatory framework, addressing quality concerns, and preparing for the aging of the population.