American Hospital Dubai: When healthcare & hospitality converge

Since 1996, the American Hospital Dubai has been a benchmark for medical excellence and innovation. Group CEO Sherif Beshara shared his vision for this leading healthcare enterprise. The hospital has a long-standing commitment to providing world-class medical services and has established an outstanding reputation in the region.

Data speaks louder than words, and they tell a compelling story. The success of the UAE's medical tourism industry is a prime example. The country's medical tourism market is projected to reach $2.3 billion by 2033. Meanwhile, the industry's revenue could reach $53.5 billion by 2028. In the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, healthcare spending is expected to reach $30.7 billion by 2027.

In Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is at the forefront of strengthening healthcare services in the emirate, focusing on accelerating infrastructure expansion year by year. In the first quarter of 2024, the city's healthcare facilities increased by 9% year-on-year. In addition, the number of healthcare professionals increased by 7%, with over 150 licenses issued to healthcare facilities and 800 licenses issued to healthcare professionals. These figures indicate the thriving development of Dubai's healthcare sector.

Furthermore, healthcare professionals renewed 12,319 licenses, and healthcare facilities renewed 1,122 licenses. According to the DHA, Dubai welcomed over 691,000 medical tourists from around the world in 2023. These tourists spent a total of approximately AED 1.03 billion. These numbers indicate a significant increase compared to the 674,000 medical tourists in 2022, whose collective spending exceeded AED 992 million. In 2023, the city's medical tourism industry generated AED 2.3 billion in indirect revenue, which helped to increase its overall GDP. These milestones support the Dubai Economic Agenda D33's goal of accelerating investment, commerce, and tourism growth.

"If numbers tell a story, then we are listening to the international community's trust in the UAE's healthcare industry, medical excellence, and safety standards," noted Sherif Beshara, Group CEO of American Hospital Dubai. "This trust is built on the government's 360-degree healthcare vision, which consistently integrates progressive policies, initiatives, and infrastructure to build a vibrant healthcare industry, thereby driving its global medical tourism," he added. "From the UAE Health Services Innovation Strategy 2023-2026 and the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, to its state-of-the-art medical facilities, world-class medical professionals, and advanced technologies, the continued prosperity of the UAE's medical tourism market is ensured through vision, implementation, and rigorous quality control."

Dubai's foresight is reflected in its strategic vision, proposed more than a decade ago, to completely transform the healthcare industry. By formulating and implementing policies, the emirate plans to transform this vital industry into a thriving center for world-class medical services and cutting-edge advancements, thereby providing results-oriented treatments.

Beshara explained: "This vision is inclusive, comprehensive, and broad. Its investment in and improvement of the healthcare system ensures that the healthcare needs of its citizens will be fully met, while providing unparalleled advantages to regional and international patients."

He added: "This is a synergistic value worth examining more closely. Providing high-quality medical services as a basic national commitment can establish a legacy of medical excellence, providing a tremendous impetus for promoting medical tourism."

Medical tourism has powerful potential in promoting a country's healthcare industry and overall economic growth. But what drives this industry towards success?

As Beshara pointed out, world-class treatment and care, technologically advanced medical facilities and procedures, international accreditation of medical entities, a diverse range of medical professionals, a global pool of talent, innovation and evidence-based medical care, and expertise in complex and chronic diseases are among the factors that attract medical tourists.

Key assets also include robust medical network security measures, expertise in aesthetics and wellness, and dedicated, streamlined international patient admission processes. Dubai's appeal lies in its excellent governance and visa facilities, which are a boon for medical tourists. Medical tourists coming to Dubai from around the world can enjoy the world's fastest processing systems and a commitment to a stress-free, welcoming, and data-secure recovery experience.

According to the Group CEO, the time-tested concept of public-private partnerships (PPP) also plays a vital role in accelerating the emirate's medical tourism industry.

Beshara explained: "When the two entities of government and the private healthcare sector work synergistically to promote the healthcare industry, it can create a favorable environment for healthcare consumers. Dubai is a prime example of how it has established an efficient healthcare alliance by prioritizing the development of public-private partnerships (PPP) through continuous government support, thereby promoting medical tourism." All of this points to a clear conclusion: improving healthcare infrastructure means strengthening social development. Dubai is an active advocate of this principle.

Medical tourism is indeed becoming an important pillar of the healthcare field. But what underpins this concept? For Beshara, it is a humanitarian ideology. "People become medical tourists because they seek affordable, trustworthy, safe, and effective healthcare abroad. For every person, man, woman, or child, the social and emotional value of receiving the right treatment and being guided back to the road to recovery is priceless," he said enthusiastically.

"When a host country strives to build the best medical infrastructure, possesses top expertise, utilizes the latest technology, and fosters a multicultural and compassionate environment to provide people from all over the world with the opportunity to regain optimism and hope through successful health outcomes, it is undertaking a humanitarian mission. Similarly, cultural sensitivity, language support services, and compassionate quality of care are also star advantages."

Beshara added: "Medical tourism upholds this mission and even informs it." Dubai is a good example. Thanks to its investment in medical facilities and advanced medical technology, the emirate has successfully strengthened its healthcare system. In addition, Dubai is also focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) to improve medical outcomes. Furthermore, the city has increased its efforts to attract the best medical professionals and implement progressive policies, with a focus on skills retention and capacity building.

Beshara said: "Dubai's message knows no borders: when you come here for medical treatment, you will receive the best care because its healthcare system is always committed to creating the most skilled, effective, and safe recovery environment for you. For those seeking solutions to health problems, this message is like music to their ears."

One of the leading players in Dubai's booming medical tourism industry is the American Hospital Dubai. The AHD Global Initiative, its latest medical tourism project, is an international medical tourism media tour. It highlights how private healthcare entities can align their missions with the government's vision to achieve national goals.

"We envision the AHD Global Initiative as the region's most innovative international medical tourism event. This creative event is an immersive wheel concept tour, starting in London and passing through some of the most exciting European capitals, such as Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich, Milan, and Barcelona, introducing people to the cutting-edge medical infrastructure of the American Hospital Dubai and Dubai's unparalleled healthcare environment," Beshara explained.

The American Hospital Dubai recognizes that people are at the heart of the healthcare vision. Therefore, they have adopted a person-to-person interaction approach in their international media tour.

"We included celebrity influencers in our tour of each capital city, building a bridge of engagement and making communication more personalized, accessible, and inclusive. We offered a lucky draw to the followers of 14 celebrity influencers, giving them the opportunity to participate and learn about the American Hospital Dubai's support for the emirate's mission to provide world-class healthcare for all," Beshara added.

With its highly accessible and immersive format, the AHD Global Initiative received a warm response during its European tour. This milestone helps to consolidate Dubai's position as a premier medical tourism destination.

The American Hospital Dubai is guided by carefully designed patient-centered care and has adopted this care in every step of the hospital's performance. "As a proud partner of the Dubai Health Experience (DXH), it helps us to achieve our goal of supporting Dubai's medical tourism objectives through conscious choices in terms of performance," Beshara said.

At the American Hospital Dubai, patients come first. "Patient satisfaction and well-being are the only important outcomes, and everything we do must lead to this goal. Therefore, there is a vision at work here, a vision that integrates evidence-based treatment, emphasizes innovation, uses AI-based solutions and robotics, our partnerships with global healthcare leaders, our constantly updated expertise in the treatment of complex diseases, and the establishment of centers of excellence in our own key areas such as cardiology, orthopedics, diabetes, and robotic surgery. And this vision—this vast superstructure—is used to accomplish a single task: to provide a positive patient experience," he said.

Recognizing that a positive patient experience is at the heart of medical tourism, AHD's commitment to putting patients at the heart of its operations is a universal value. For them, it's all about assuring people that AHD will meet their desire for good healthcare. That's why the American Hospital Dubai has also expanded its operations overseas.

"We have opened our first medical tourism representative office in Lagos, Nigeria, to meet the needs of people seeking affordable and trustworthy healthcare. The office will facilitate patient access to the American Hospital Dubai's world-class medical services and innovative healthcare, which is part of our plan to expand to 30 offices in Africa and the Middle East," Beshara explained.

"In addition to serving as a channel for seeking medical treatment at the American Hospital Dubai, our Lagos representative office also actively cooperates with the Nigerian people and their healthcare system to promote local community engagement. We host knowledge-sharing webinars with Nigerian healthcare professionals because we know that education and awareness-raising initiatives are essential for giving back to society and enabling people to adopt healthier lifestyles," he added. The American Hospital Dubai's presence in Nigeria is the beginning of its medical tourism interaction with Africa and the Middle East.

In 2024, the American Hospital Dubai further expanded its operations by opening a multi-specialty hospital in Dubai Science Park in Al Barsha South. The American Hospital Dubai Science Park demonstrates the organization's commitment to providing world-class medical services to more people and promoting medical tourism. Robotic surgery is another key area of focus, and it has greatly transformed healthcare.

"We are proud to have won the leading position in the era of robotic surgery in Dubai. The American Hospital Dubai is the first private healthcare provider in the UAE to install the fourth-generation da Vinci robotic system, the ROSA® Knee System, Halcyon® System radiotherapy, and the Mazor X Stealth™ Edition robotic guidance system for spinal surgery," Beshara said.

In addition, the hospital's Center of Excellence for Robotic Surgery (COERS) has been accredited by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). This milestone is the first of its kind in the region. Since 2020, the American Hospital Dubai has also performed more than 1,500 robotic surgeries.

"We are unwavering in our pursuit of excellence because every effort is aimed at achieving one goal that defines us: providing the highest quality of patient care," he said.

The American Hospital Dubai is the flagship brand of the Mohamad & Obaid AlMulla Group, embodying the seamless integration of healthcare and hospitality.

"It is well known that many medical tourists also seek leisure experiences in the host country. Hotel and tourism options play an important role in their plans. The Mohamad & Obaid AlMulla Group's mission and vision, which are aligned with Dubai's healthcare goals, are represented by its flagship division, the American Hospital Dubai, which has always fostered synergy between healthcare, medical tourism, and the hospitality industry," Beshara said.

Since its establishment in 1996, the organization has been committed to providing patient-centered, world-class healthcare services and is driven by innovation. Its renowned hotel division, including some of the most well-known hotel franchise brands, such as IHT, further strengthens this commitment. These hotel franchise brands give the American Hospital Dubai a unique advantage in accommodating medical tourists in its own hotel properties.

The unique combination of modern hotel assets and innovative medical facilities has proven to be critical to the organization's success. "The Mohamad & Obaid AlMulla Group's hotel brands are an integral part of Dubai's status as a world-class tourism and hospitality hub. Combined with the emirate's multiculturalism and inclusiveness, medical tourists will experience unparalleled advantages when they embark on their recovery journey in Dubai's sensitive, compassionate, and meticulous environment," Beshara explained.

Over the years, Dubai's medical tourism market has seen strong demand for health treatments, including plastic surgery and dermatology services. According to a DHA report, in 2023, 43% of medical tourists seeking plastic surgery services came from Arab and GCC countries, 21% came from Asia, and another 21% came from Europe.

"The American Hospital Dubai is keenly aware of the importance of health and aesthetics in medical tourism. Our long-standing expertise in advanced health and aesthetic treatments has earned us third-party management in these fields for renowned medical institutions. It gives us a leading edge and a unique advantage that helps us promote Dubai's medical tourism goals," Beshara noted.

Recently, the American Hospital Dubai opened The Face, a first-class skincare and beauty clinic, in Dubai's Al Khawaneej Walk. The clinic proudly offers the region's most advanced medical and cosmetic dermatology services, positioning itself as the first choice for people seeking advanced solutions for dermatological and cosmetic problems.

As the Group CEO pointed out: "Effective healthcare is the engine that drives universal social progress. It must be like a huge, perennial tree, stretching its branches over a vast area to provide shade for everyone, so that its impact is far-reaching." To achieve this vision, the American Hospital Dubai is unwavering in its commitment to helping people enjoy healthier lives.

"This necessity is in line with the UAE's goal of becoming the healthiest and happiest country, ensuring the highest quality of life for its people and those who choose it as a healthcare destination. This synergy between the American Hospital Dubai's mission and the UAE's healthcare goals will continue to define our performance in serving humanity," Beshara concluded.