Johnson & Johnson MedTech collaborates with DoH Abu Dhabi to launch AI-powered surgical intelligence network

UAE—Johnson & Johnson MedTech has partnered with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health to launch a global initiative focused on creating an open surgical intelligence network that uses AI to enhance surgical care.

The program positions Abu Dhabi as the first hub within a broader global infrastructure designed to advance AI innovation at every stage of the surgical journey.

The initiative integrates Johnson & Johnson’s Polyphonic™ open digital ecosystem with DOH Abu Dhabi and leading technology partners, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA.

Together, they will deploy the Polyphonic Surgery application across Abu Dhabi’s intelligent health system, connecting operating rooms to a unified surgical intelligence platform.

Connecting operating rooms through AI and Data

Through the Polyphonic system, participating hospitals will capture high-quality surgical video and multimodal clinical data during procedures.

The platform will curate, label, and continuously process this information in a governed digital environment that supports responsible AI development.

As a result, insights generated before, during, and after surgery will flow into a structured ecosystem that improves clinical learning and supports innovation.

The system aims to strengthen collaboration between surgeons, researchers, and technology developers while maintaining strict governance over data use.

Hospital Network adoption across Abu Dhabi

Several leading healthcare providers in the emirate, including Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, PureHealth, Mediclinic Group, and NMC Healthcare, will implement Polyphonic across their operating rooms.

These institutions will use the system to support surgical video capture, real-time collaboration, structured case review, peer consultation, and efficiency in surgical workflows.

As more procedures are recorded and analyzed, each case will contribute to a growing anonymized dataset intended to support AI model development in surgical care.

This dataset will serve as a regulated foundation for future surgical AI innovation, beginning in Abu Dhabi with plans for broader global application.

Advancing Abu Dhabi’s intelligent health system

The initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi’s broader strategy to build an intelligent health system powered by AI-enabled infrastructure.

The system connects hospitals, government entities, academic institutions, and research partners into a unified ecosystem that supports scalable innovation in healthcare delivery.

By linking operating rooms across institutions, the network aims to standardize surgical capabilities while enabling shared intelligence and continuous learning across healthcare providers.

Leadership perspectives on global collaboration

Hani Abouhalka, Company Group Chair, Surgery, MedTech at Johnson & Johnson, said the initiative represents a major step forward for global surgical innovation, emphasizing the importance of collaboration across healthcare and technology sectors.

He noted that no single organization can achieve this transformation alone, highlighting the need for integrated efforts among clinicians, researchers, and technology leaders.

Similarly, H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DOH Abu Dhabi, stated that the program strengthens the emirate’s intelligent health system by linking clinical care, data, AI, and research to generate impact at scale.

She emphasized that the connected operating room network enables shared intelligence and continuous improvement in surgical care.

Shan Jegatheeswaran, Global President of Polyphonic at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, added that collaboration with Abu Dhabi has accelerated the creation of what is intended to become the first node in a global surgical intelligence network, supported by a growing ecosystem of healthcare and technology partners.