Healthcare providers in the United Arab Emirates will now be financially responsible for the treatment they have received.
Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has issued a new Patient Protection Directive. According to its text, health care providers are now financially responsible for the treatment. In particular, if it is determined that the patient’s medical bills were too high due to excess treatment, the hospital will be required to pay the costs.
This includes situations where, after receiving treatment, the patient does not need hospitalization for medical reasons, but the institution insists on this service, and then bills for it.
The publication of the directive is associated with a growing number of complaints from patients about long-term inpatient treatment unnecessarily.
The official letter states that any complaint made by medical institutions about patients (regarding non-payment of bills) should be accompanied by a detailed explanation of the situation with the provision of evidence. A special committee will investigate every controversial case and make an informed decision about who ultimately must cover the bills - the patient or the medical facility.
