Dubai offers hospital-based holiday packages



DUBAI // When most people think of medical treatment, they do not automatically associate it with a holiday involving a hotel stay and fun leisure activities.

But this is the sort of package patients from abroad could have in Dubai in the future.

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is working closely with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to boost medical tourism in the emirate, with healthcare providers and the hospitality sector involved.

The plan is to try to provide "a complete package" for medical tourists, said Laila Al Jassmi, chief executive of health policy and strategy at DHA.

"So those who come for hospital treatments, they can have a good package, with certain hotels to provide the accommodation, with all the leisure that they would require with their treatment package," she said.

It would not just be the patient who would get to enjoy some of the activities on offer in Dubai. Market research has shown that most medical tourists do not travel alone and take others, such as family, with them, Ms Al Jassmi said.

The idea is that the patient would pay a set cost for an entire package, including hotel, leisure activities and, potentially, an airline ticket.

"Now, when you are visiting any country for tourism, you get a package of a hotel, of an airline ticket and you sometimes get a package of certain leisures with that package," Ms Al Jassmi said.

"We are trying to modify that, with the health service that we are providing.

"We are working along with the hospitality sector to try to put these two sectors together."

More than 50 hospitals and healthcare centres across Dubai will be marketed as part of the initiative. Former Soviet countries, Europe, MENA and South Asia are being targeted.

"They have the highest number of tourists who are coming to Dubai, through the DTCM statistics," explained Ms Al Jassmi.

"Also, looking at those countries, they have a great number of outbound [people] who are travelling outside the country seeking medical treatments."

A similar time zone with Dubai and a good flight network are also factors in targeting countries.

The emirate will focus on specific treatments that research has shown are popular among tourists in Dubai and procedures for which people in the target countries are prepared to travel abroad.

They include ophthalmology, dental, orthopaedic, plastic surgery, non-surgical cosmetic procedures, spa and wellness treatments and alternative medicines.

More specialities may be added as the initiative grows, said Ms Al Jassmi.

Medical tourist Rola Fahad has already benefited from healthcare facilities in the emirate after travelling from Saudi Arabia for liposuction and body contouring at Dubai's American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

"I had a great experience - the service and patient care was excellent," said the 38-year-old.

Dubai's healthcare facilities are being showcased at the Moscow Medical and Health Tourism Congress, which started on Wednesday and finishes on Sunday, and at the International Medical Travel and Exhibition Conference 2013, which takes place in Monaco this weekend. Representatives from DHA, DTCM, Dubai Healthcare City and some of the emirate's hospitals are attending.

"For medical tourists the city offers internationally accredited, state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, highly qualified and internationally recognised healthcare professionals and an efficient regulatory system that ensures safe and quality treatment," said Mr Eyad Abdulrahman, executive director of media relations and business development at the DTCM.

It is estimated that about 100,000 tourists used healthcare services in Dubai in 2012.

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Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

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Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

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How Apple's credit card works

The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.

What does it cost?

Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.

What will the interest rate be?

The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts

What about security? 

The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.

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Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision. 

* Associated Press 


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