17 June 2022

Physician optimistic about the use of Actiste® to improve diabetes care in the United Arab Emirates

Physician Dr. Haifa Fares in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is optimistic that the country’s need for improved diabetes management can be supported by Brighter’s Actiste® solution.

Brighter’s Rasha Husam with Dr. Haifa at the 5th Emirates Family Medicine Society Congress in Dubai.

The UAE has fought its high rates of diabetes for a long time, yet lately the country has made some progress in battling the disease.

In an upcoming Actiste® user experience study, the Emirates Health Services (EHS) will, together with Brighter, try to identify if better access to data can help the country’s healthcare system and patients. We spoke with Dr. Haifa Fares, the service’s Deputy Director of Primary Healthcare. She said she is confident about the study.

“We aim to confirm that the patients have a positive experience, which we expect, and that the patient engagement in their management plan is improving with the help of Actiste® and the companion app,” says Dr. Haifa.

“From my experience, both the Actiste® device and the app are effortless to use. These are factors that will be helpful for patients to stick with their management plan.”

The EHS aims to enhance the efficiency of the UAE’s federal health sector and implement strategic policies and standards related to the public health sector and preventative care. The ambitions of the user experience study are entirely aligned with this.

“Diabetes is a national priority. We must try to manage the disease and provide the best care we can. The UAE and EHS are always looking for new technologies and approaches to manage diabetes,” Dr. Haifa continues.

In the UAE, diabetes care has already progressed rather far. One thing the medical authorities have done to mitigate the disease is to integrate diabetes care with the country’s primary care.

“This integration is probably the most important implementation we have done so far. It is cost-effective, and we have worked on this solution for a long time,” says Dr. Haifa. “By connecting primary and diabetes care, patients have access to more qualified and comprehensive care. In some cases, the patient needs more specialized care and it is provided to them.”

The Actiste® study is expected to start once ethical approval is received.

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