The Dubai Health Authority(DHA) has issued  regulations for licensing of visiting doctors to ensure patients in Dubai have access to highly qualified international health professionals.

The guidelines are applicable for all health facilities in Dubai, including private health facilities and free zone, excluding Dubai Healthcare City.

Earlier, visiting health professionals were required to complete licensing formalities required for full-time Dubai-based professionals that took longer time to process. The new requirements are strictly regulated but ensure licenses are issued on a fast-track basis to provide convenience for highly qualified visiting doctors.

Healthcare facilities in Dubai that want to invite visiting doctors will have to prove that a doctor of the same specialty is already working in the facility.

“A doctor of the same specialty will have to accompany the visiting doctor, understand the case management plan and will have to provide follow-up care once the visiting doctor goes back to his country of practice. This is to ensure continuity of care after the visiting doctor returns to his country of practice because follow-up care is essential for the well-being of patients,” a statement said.

Only hospitals, day-care surgery centres, dental clinics, polyclinics and specialty clinics may host a visiting physician.

Healthcare facilities must submit an online application with complete details of the visiting doctor including valid registration/professional license from last country of work, valid board memberships, employment letter, good standing certificate that is valid for six months, etc., the statement said.

The maximum number of times a license can be renewed is three times in one year and the maximum duration for every visit is one month.

The authority will continue to carry out primary source verification (PSV) on the professionals as a form of background check. Moreover, only physicians who have a certain number of years of experience and have super-specializations will be given fast track licenses. – TradeArabia News Service