Healthcare in Dubai has undergone a complete paradigm shift, thanks to DHA’s NABIDH program. NABIDH compliance has brought a plethora of benefits for healthcare facilities and patients alike. However, remaining compliant with NABIDH guidelines is just as important as integrating your facility with the NABIDH program. This is where audits play a key role. NABIDH compliance audits not only ensure ongoing alignment with NABIDH policies and standards, but also help identify compliance gaps and vulnerabilities. Although it may seem like an additional burden, the significance of compliance audits cannot be overstated. Seeking specialized NABIDH compliance audit services can help you streamline the process and guarantee that your facility adheres to the highest audit standards and best practices.

Before deciding whether or not to opt for specialized NABIDH compliance audit services, let us first address the significance of NABIDH compliance.

Why should you be NABIDH compliant?

DHA’s NABIDH is a health information exchange platform that securely connects all healthcare facilities in Dubai in order to seamlessly exchange electronic health records (EHR) over a common, centralized repository. The idea is to improve the quality of healthcare delivery by enabling secure exchange of health information in electronic form for easier access to patients’ medical history. This enables quicker diagnosis and timely care. Being compliant with NABIDH policies and standards brings a plethora of benefits for your facility as well as your patients.

For your facility:

It helps doctors diagnose illnesses accurately, avoiding delays and redundant tests
Enables them to provide personalized care based on the patient’s comprehensive medical history
Streamlines workflows
Reduces the chance of medical errors
Saves time and resources

For patients:

Your medical records follow you wherever you go for treatment
You receive the best quality, personalized care
Eliminates the need for repeated testing
Enables quick diagnoses and timely treatment

However, NABIDH compliance is not the end goal. It’s the means to a patient-centric, futuristic healthcare system. And to be part of this system, your facility has to remain complaint with NABIDH policies and standards. This is why compliance auditing is crucial, and is mandated by NABIDH’s Audit policy.

What is NABIDH’s Audit Policy?

NABIDH’s Audit Policy outlines the audit requirements for healthcare facilities. It encompasses a set of regulations formulated with the objective to guarantee seamless exchange of health information by focusing on 3 key objectives: confidentiality, integrity, and patient-centric care.

The Role of NABIDH Compliance Audits

NABIDH compliance audits involve a formal review or independent assessment of your facility, and help evaluate your facility’s status of compliance with the NABIDH policies and standards. They assess whether your facility follows the established procedures, regulations, and guidelines prescribed by DHA NABIDH, particularly in the context of integrating your EMR systems with the NABIDH platform. Apart from this, NABIDH compliance audits also:

Review the effectiveness of internal controls
Identify weaknesses in the existing processes
Help avert breaches and manage risks in the use of NABIDH EMR
Identify areas of non-compliance and suggest corrective action
Promote responsible use of NABIDH EMR
Foster an integrity-based culture

NABIDH Compliance Audit Services: Benefits & Considerations

Evaluating the performance and security features of the NABIDH platform is the primary objective of NABIDH compliance audits. This includes implementing the NABIDH Audit policy guidelines, and conducting compliance checks to ensure your facility meets all requirements as per the applicable NABIDH standards and regulations. Periodic audits are mandatory, and therefore require dedicated resources coupled with NABIDH expertise. Therefore, opting for specialized services for NABIDH compliance audits is a prudent choice. These services are offered by several NABIDH consultancy firms and NABIDH integration consultants. They help you measure your facility’s NABIDH readiness, conduct risk assessments, optimize the use of NABIDH EMR in your facility through seamless integration, conduct audits, and maintain compliance.

What to Look for While Choosing a NABIDH Compliance Audit Service

If you’re seeking the best NABIDH Compliance Audit Services for your facility, here are the most important characteristics to look for:

NABIDH Expertise- To be able to provide the best NABIDH compliance audit services, the service provider should possess thorough knowledge and expertise in NABIDH policies and standards. Understanding the regulatory framework of NABIDH is a prerequisite for recognizing the unique challenges and requirements of your healthcare facility.
Understanding of the NABIDH Platform- Your NABIDH compliance audit partner should have a profound understanding of the functionalities and the technical and operational attributes of the NABIDH platform. This is crucial to assess how well your facility aligns with the NABIDH requirements.
Comprehensive Coverage- Ensure that the service provider you choose, covers not just the technical components of NABIDH compliance, but also assesses the operational and procedural aspects. This means that they should be able to evaluate your systems, security features, processes, data integrity, and all other aspects of NABIDH compliance.
Extendibility to Third-Party Vendors- NABIDH compliance also involves assessing your third-party vendors. So, look for a partner with prior experience in auditing external entities, to ensure a holistic evaluation of the entire NABIDH compliance ecosystem in your facility.
Tailored Assessments- Every healthcare facility is unique, with unique challenges and compliance levels. When looking for a NABIDH compliance audit service, make sure they provide tailored services to suit the specific needs of your facility, and offer actionable recommendations to enhance your compliance with NABIDH standards.

This checklist will help you find the best NABIDH compliance audit services out there, and equip you with the expertise to conduct a thorough and accurate evaluation of NABIDH compliance in your facility. For more about NABIDH, and for the best-in-class NABIDH Compliance Audit services, get in touch with Airtabat today!