DHA announces two proposed health management companies

• HMCs to provide administrative, financial, and other support services for Out-patient Care Practice clinics within the new health funding system

• Significant interest from local, regional and international organisations

These HMCs will provide important administrative, financial and other support services to all Out-patient Care Practice clinics (OCP clinics) registered with the DHA to provide the basic healthcare benefits covered by the new system.

Attracting interest from a range of local, regional and international organisations, the DHA health funding team originally received 44 expressions of interest with 21 companies submitting their credentials in September. A final short list of six were selected based on a number of key criteria including experience, expertise, cost and deliverability.

The two successful organisations are:

• GlobeMed Gulf
• Aetna / Gateway

Both organisations have signed formal letters of intent and the DHA is currently progressing all remaining legal issues. Contracts are expected to be finalised in December.

Each OCP clinic will now be allocated to one of these HMCs. A provisional list of pre-approved OCP clinics will be published later this month. Both organisations will then work closely together to develop a future strategy for each OCP clinic and support each OCP clinic in identifying its pricing list, patient registration processes, establishing data flows with the DHA, the transfer of funds and costs as well as standard administrative support.

Commenting on this announcement, His Excellency Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, the Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, said: 'HMCs will play an important role within the new health funding system. Whilst OCP clinics will remain independent, they will now be able to draw upon the broader support of their allocated HMC. This will drive efficiencies within the system, allowing medical staff to focus on what they do best in terms of looking after the health of their patients.'

Ms Laila Al Jassmi, Director of the DHA's health funding programme said: 'The number of submissions shows how interested the industry is in what we are developing. The quality of the submissions we received was excellent. Whilst we are now finalising the details with the two successful organisations, this is an evolving programme and we fully anticipate further opportunities for the industry moving forward as we continue to build partnerships across the healthcare sector.'