Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) is ensuring the provision of top quality telemedicine services to patients seeking treatment in areas of mental health and psychiatric issues in the Al Dhafra area.

In this regard, Al Dhafra Family Medicine Centre provides various telemedicine and external therapeutic services to patients in need. These services are being provided as part of a new project launched by the authorities to enhance access to necessary mental health therapies to patients in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

In affiliation with the SEHA-run Al Dhafra Hospital, Al Dhafra Family Medicine Centre is providing telemedicine sessions along with the support of Al Maqtaa Healthcare Centre and Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Centre.

The healthcare facility has affirmed that psychiatric treatments are provided in privacy in accordance with the highest international standards. The centre is staffed with highly qualified medical professionals with significant expertise in their field. 

So far, more than 200 patients in Al Dhafra have received mental health treatments and therapy through its telemedicine service. The authorities have underlined that the services are will be expanded further in the near future to allow more people to benefit from the treatments. 

Dr. Nazmi Hussein Abdelmajid Al Sawalhi, Family Medicine Consultant at Al Dhafra Family Medicine Centre, underlined the significance of patient privacy as the utmost priority for the facility. Patients are required to register for the service just as visiting the family doctor. After visiting the consultant, they start with the telemedicine session with a psychologist when they can see, speak and answer all questions by the doctor while listening to their advice and information. 

"No one is made aware of a patient’s visit except for a consultant and a psychologist. This is an important feature of the service and helps to reduce the stigma of seeking treatment for mental health issues. The presence of a family doctor and psychologist together helps to reassure the patient, increases the benefits of the experience and treatment of the issues," Dr Al Sawalhi explained. 

He added that telemedicine offers similar benefits just as a traditional visit to doctor’s clinic when it comes to assessment, diagnosis, treatment, commitment to treatment and clinical result. He affirmed that it is an effective solution to provide healthcare and improve the quality of treatment for patients suffering from mental health issues, particularly those who are nervous and reluctant to visit health centres and hospitals.

Dr. Al Sawalhi also noted that Al Dhafra's telemedicine clinic offers easy access to psychological and specialized mental health services to patients. It works in line with the commitment of SEHA to provide remarkable healthcare to members of the Abu Dhabi community and strengthening overall patient experience. 

Besides telemedicine services, Al Dhafra Family Medicine Clinic also witness the visit of Dr Abdulrahman Abdulla Madhani, Psychiatry Specialist from Neima Healthcare Centre (AHS) twice every week from 8:00 to 17:00. The initiative is in line with SEHA’s Group Practice Model to allow physicians from across the SEHA network to work cross-collaboratively to achieve greater clinical integration.