Consider a world in which people live long, satisfying lives, reach their full potential, and are in good health. As far-fetched as it may appear to some, this is the future Shaista Asif is determined to build, and it is no pipe dream.
Asif is motivated to realise this ideal of longevity while also transforming the current approach to healthcare. And it’s not just about the money. “It’s about enhancing the quality of life and elevating the healthcare landscape,” says PureHealth’s group COO. PureHealth is the UAE’s largest comprehensive healthcare platform.
Asif’s determination and vision are backed up by the strength of a robust ecology that is driving this evolution. PureHealth has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2006, expanding to include more than 25 hospitals, over 100 clinics, 160 plus labs, multiple diagnostic centres, pharmacies, as well as healthtech, insurance, and procurement entities, resulting in a well-connected healthcare value chain in Abu Dhabi and Northern Emirates. As a result, the company has gained influence and expertise, all of which highlight its emphasis on innovation and disruption.
“We are curating a healthcare ecosystem, which is truly outcome-oriented and moves healthcare from a reactive service to a proactive, ‘always-on’ way of life,” she says passionately.
This is plainly illustrated by the company’s recent acquisition and consolidation drive. Its network now includes Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), National Health Insurance Company (DAMAN), The Medical Office – which oversees Sheikh Khalifa Hospitals and healthcare facilities established as part of initiatives sanctioned by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – Rafed, Pure Lab, Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre, One Health, and The Life Corner, Abu Dhabi’s first holistic pharmacy.
PureHealth has created a scalable healthcare platform by combining the talents of clinical powerhouses and the UAE’s biggest health insurer.
“Additionally, our patients benefit from access to greater clinical expertise and healthcare services across the spectrum of care,” says Asif, who thinks that value-based healthcare is best delivered through a vertically integrated healthcare platform in which all healthcare value chain capabilities collaborate to achieve a common set of goals such as improving health outcomes, increasing efficiency, and decreasing the burden of care.
By digitising healthcare infrastructure, the organisation is also facilitating change. In the future, the collecting and analysis of a patient’s real-time data will allow for real-time intervention and, as a result, preventive treatment. PureHealth has developed a cloud migration method to achieve this.