Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai's Model of Care Provides a Blueprint for International Healthcare Expansion in the Middle East

DUBAI, UAE, November 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai opened in 2007 and the Moorfields international operating model - developed over the last 10 years in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - incorporates teaching and research as well as consultant-led clinical care, and has proved to be very successful. The hospital has treated more than 150,000 patients over the last decade and the model may provide a blueprint for other leading global healthcare institutions looking to expand internationally.

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Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the oldest, and one of the largest, centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in the world. In 2007, more than 200 years after its foundation in 1804, Moorfields moved beyond the United Kingdom to open its first overseas branch.

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields Dubai) has quickly become one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region's leading eye care institutions. Its success led to further expansion in the UAE with the opening of Moorfields Eye Hospital Centre, in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with United Eastern Medical Services (UEMS), and most recently a new collaboration with Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital in Dubai, where Moorfields now delivers the paediatric ophthalmology clinical services.

By choosing Dubai as the first step, Moorfields was in a position to serve its current international patient base in the region - along with the domestic population of the UAE and the British and broader expatriate population that was likely to be already familiar with the Moorfields name and reputation.

Once the hospital had identified the Middle East and GCC region as the preferred location for its first international site, there were several challenges: where to base the hospital for optimum impact and the creation of world class facilities; how to attract and recruit the professional staff required to support the Moorfields team of consultants; and how to ensure equivalent high standards of quality and safety through a robust governance framework.

Dubai Health Care City (DHCC) is a unique healthcare 'free zone', an area of competitive trading arrangements to attract economic activity. The benefits of joining DHCC as a host community for the hospital included its very active support for healthcare partners, the high-quality environment and its rigorous legal/licensing framework. DHCC is attracting an increased number of healthcare partners to the community, including other international providers, whilst positioning Dubai as a major global destination for healthcare tourism, which is supported by Moorfields' presence.