Digital health is no longer an add-on in the UAE. Health records are shared through emirate-wide exchanges, telehealth is a regulated service, and AI tools are appearing in imaging, documentation and administration. For a new clinic, medical centre or hospital, technology decisions now affect licensing, compliance and patient trust, so they belong in the project plan from the start.

Where AI is being used in healthcare today

• Imaging and diagnostics: tools that help prioritise and read X-rays, CT and other images.
• Clinical documentation: speech recognition and AI scribes that reduce typing time for doctors.
• Triage and patient access: symptom checkers, chatbots and smart scheduling.
• Revenue cycle: coding support, claims checking and prediction of rejections.
• Operations: forecasting demand, staffing and inventory.

How AI in healthcare is regulated

The Dubai Health Authority has issued a policy on the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. It sets out principles that facilities and developers are expected to follow, including:

• Accountability: responsibility for AI outcomes is shared by the developers and the users of the tool.
• Transparency: it should be clear what the tool does, how it was validated and what data it was trained on.
• Safety and human oversight: clinicians must be able to intervene and override decisions.
• Fairness and data protection: tools should avoid bias and protect patient data.

In practice, a facility that uses AI should know which decisions the tool supports, keep a clinician in control, document how the tool is used and make sure the vendor meets data protection requirements.

Health data must be handled under UAE rules

Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 on the use of information and communication technology in health fields regulates how health data is collected, stored and shared. As a general rule, health data must be stored and processed inside the UAE, with specific exemptions set by regulation. Emirate-level rules, such as those of the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, add their own requirements.

This matters when choosing cloud systems, AI tools and software vendors: ask where the data is hosted, who can access it and how it is protected before you sign.

Health information exchanges

Each part of the UAE runs a health information exchange that licensed facilities connect to: NABIDH in Dubai, Malaffi in Abu Dhabi and Riayati for facilities under the federal system. These platforms share patient records between providers, so your electronic medical record system must be able to connect and send the required data.

Telehealth is a regulated service

Virtual consultations are now a normal part of care, but they are regulated. The Dubai Health Authority, for example, has issued a standard for telehealth services that sets out which services can be offered remotely and how. If you plan to offer telehealth, include it in your licensing plan rather than adding it later.

What to plan before you open

• Choose an electronic medical record that is approved to connect to the relevant health information exchange.
• Confirm where every system stores patient data and that it meets UAE requirements.
• Decide which AI tools you will use, who oversees them and how their use is documented.
• Plan cybersecurity, access control and backups as part of the fit-out, including the server or network room.
• Include telehealth in your service list and licensing if you plan to offer it.
• Train staff on data protection and on the safe use of digital tools.

Technology also shapes the building: network cabling, IT rooms, power and the placement of screens and devices should be planned with the design and construction team, not after it.

Sources: Dubai Health Authority; Federal Law No. 2 of 2019; Bird & Bird; Al Tamimi & Company. This article is general information, not legal advice.