Seha unifies all health information systems under one brand, Malaffi

The system will now be known as Malaffi in both English and Arabic. Meaning "my file" in English, the name 'Malaffi' preserves the essence of confidentiality and patient privacy. The new identity, which will be implemented across Seha's medical facilities, was developed following extensive market research across Abu Dhabi. The study involved residents comprising UAE nationals, expats and employees from the healthcare sector.

Seha initially launched its hospital information system in 2008 at Tawam Hospital, and it is now implemented across 12 hospitals and 62 clinics. Malaffi links the Seha network to one clinical data depository where all patient information is stored.

This environmentally-friendly initiative provides access to over 1.7 Million, patients' electronic medical records in a simple, swift and secure manner. Malaffi allows healthcare providers to access patient information, including medical history, blood type and prescription drugs, instantaneously from any Seha hospital or clinic. The system also allows physicians to review x-rays and other imaging tests with their patients. The aim is to speed up diagnoses and treatments, and improve patient care by reducing medical errors and prescribing unnecessary drugs.

Dr. Ali Abdulkareem AlObaidi, Chief Clinical Officer at Seha, stated, "Since the early implementation phase, Malaffi positively impacted the communication between healthcare providers and patients. Staff members within Seha facilities all agree that the system saves them time and helps reduce inaccurate information."

AlObaidi also added, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff members of Seha, made up of 17,000 physicians, nurses, technicians, and allied health and administrative personnel, who have pleasantly adopted the system with its multiple phases and helped us provide the best quality of care. They have all contributed in setting the standards for a safe and efficient healthcare system in Abu Dhabi."

Health Care Information and Management Systems Society's Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model highlights a seven-stage process to be completed by hospitals worldwide, evaluating their progress and impact in implementing electronic medical record systems. Seha facilities are leading the way in executing these stages in the Middle East, with Corniche Hospital achieving Stage 6, placing it amongst the top 5% globally. Other facilities such as Al Ain Hospital, Al Rahba Hospital, Mafraq Hospital, SKMC, and Tawam Hospital have achieved a rate ranging from 5.260 to 5.304 as of February 2012. All are working towards meeting the criteria for Stage 6 in the deployment and use of clinical information technology to improve patient safety and healthcare quality and efficiency.

Basheer Khalfan Salem Al-Mehairbi, Deputy Chief Information Officer at Seha, said, "We have established a long-standing partnership with Cerner Millennium Solutions in order to adopt state-of-the-art technologies to improve efficiency, safety and overall patient care in all of our facilities while meeting the government's ambitious plans of a world-class healthcare system."

Seha was awarded the prestigious 'Health Tech Innovation Award' during ID World Abu Dhabi 2011 for its achievements in Electronic Medical Records technologies in healthcare to improve patient security, hospital efficiency and the safe supply of pharmaceuticals.