COVID-19 has exposed strengths yet revealed weaknesses within healthcare systems globally. Changes that have been in development for decades, such as telehealth, were accelerated in implementation. But failures in the system – such as social inequalities, healthcare insurance coverage gaps, lack of single-source data centres – have been accentuated. It is time to reframe quality, safety and accreditation.
When asked about how the post-COVID-19 world should look like, Dr Nash concluded: “We need better leadership; people who can put their ego aside and stimulate teams. We need people who are optimistic about the future, despite the challenges. We need leaders who can look beyond the immediate situation and have a long-term vision.
“I hope that we can have better international cooperation to fight the next pandemic, which will inevitably occur. I am hoping for improved communication and cooperation and better preparedness. We will also see a greater interest in public health.”
While Dr Goyal said: “Looking at the bigger picture, I see huge opportunities for HIEs to improve patient safety further and to support health management of the community. Never before have we had access to credible, reliable, clinical data, on such a large scale. I would like to see the UAE develop chronic condition registers. By monitoring certain criteria for every patient that we see, we can not only improve outcomes but ensure that the DoH can focus their resources on areas that really need improvement. It allows a better picture of public health to be formed. With credible data, we can strategise accurately for the health and safety of our community.”