Dubai: It will be mandatory for all healthcare providers in the UAE to provide at least one form of remote services for patients under a new regulatory framework expected to be launched by the end of this year.

This was revealed by Shaikha Hasan Al Mansory, head of Strategy and Investment Section, Digital Health Department, Ministry of Health and Prevention on the second day of the Remote forum in Dubai on Thursday.

The ministry will launch a comprehensive “Smart Digital Health” regulatory framework by the end of the year and all healthcare providers will have to mandatorily provide at least one of the four forms of remote health services, she told Gulf News on the sidelines of the forum.

“It will be mandatory for them to provide at least one of these services remotely—consulting, prescribing medications, monitoring patients or robotic surgeries.”

This will be applicable to both public and private sector healthcare service providers, she revealed.