UAE advances healthcare transformation with expansion of Riayati-Malaffi integration

UAE—The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) has announced the completion of a new level of integration with the federal Health Information Exchange (HIE) platform, Riayati, and Abu Dhabi’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) platform, Malaffi.

Riayati is a digital healthcare platform for the National Unified Medical Record (NUMR) programme launched in response to directives issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

 It holds 2.7 billion medical records from over 3,850 medical facilities nationwide, representing 11.6 million people.

The expanded connection between Malaffi and Riayati will now allow Malaffi users to access patient records from the Northern Emirates, increasing healthcare quality and supporting patient care continuity across the UAE.

This demonstrates the progress made in the UAE’s transformation strategy to promote improved exchange of patient information in the healthcare sector, to improve patient outcomes.

This achievement comes on the heels of the initial integration of the three HIE platforms (Malaffi, Riayati, and Nabidh) announced in February 2023, which gave Riayati users access to Malaffi data, boosting their ability to provide timely and high-quality care to patients.

To fully integrate federal health information exchange systems, the next phase will allow users to access data available on Malaffi and Nabidh via Riayati, extending access nationwide regardless of geographical location.

According to Ahmed Al Dashti, Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector at MOHAP, expanding the scope of integration, as seen by a new phase of connecting “Riayati” with the Malaffi platform, will bolster ongoing efforts to promote the quality and efficacy of health service provision.

Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, praised the new initiative, stating that Malaffi will position Abu Dhabi as a leading destination for healthcare globally and that the collaboration with MOHAP and DHA will provide the healthcare workforce with the tools they need to provide quality care to patients.

“While Health Information Exchange platforms enable healthcare facilities to provide community members with world-class services efficiently, they are also the cornerstone of decision-making, setting policies, and learning more about the healthcare needs of our community,” she explained.

Kareem Shahin, acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Health Data Services (the operator of Malaffi), is devoted to creating a welcoming atmosphere that promotes comprehensive, patient-centered treatment throughout the UAE.

He further stated that the integration will benefit patients who frequently travel between Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates because their medical records will be accessible to their healthcare providers regardless of the Emirate in which they seek care.

According to Samir Al Khoury, Acting Director of the Smart Health Department at MOHAP, the completion of a new phase connecting “Riayati” with the DoH’s Malaffi platform is an important step toward merging patients’ health data into a single national platform.

He hopes that this will enable healthcare providers to make timely and well-informed decisions, resulting in more effective medical care.

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