Healthcare has evolved tremendously in the last few decades. Just as in any other sector, technology has been one of the major contributors to this rapid evolution worldwide. However, in Abu Dhabi, ADHICS, a set of information security standards and guidelines regulate this healthcare transformation. These standards have completely redefined how healthcare is perceived and experienced.

What is ADHICS?

ADHICS, or the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Information and Cyber Security Standard is a comprehensive set of standards, specifications, and guidelines for information security and data privacy in the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi. It has been developed by the Department of Health (DoH), Abu Dhabi to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of healthcare information. Compliance with ADHICS is mandatory for all healthcare organizations operating in Abu Dhabi.

What Does ADHICS Include?

ADHICS includes policies, procedures, and technical controls that healthcare organizations in Abu Dhabi must implement to protect the privacy and security of patient health information. It covers various topics, including access controls, incident management, data backup and recovery, and encryption.

ADHICS aligns with the strategic demands of the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Information and Cybersecurity Strategy. It intends to ensure that healthcare entities can demonstrate their information and cybersecurity compliance efficiently.

Scope & Applicability of ADHICS

ADHICS applies to any healthcare entity in Abu Dhabi that generates, accesses, stores, uses, processes, and/or transmits health information
It also applies to all healthcare professionals or other support staff who have access to patients’ health/diagnostic/personal information.
It is also applicable to information (in physical and digital forms), medical devices and equipment, applications and software, infrastructure, information systems, and human resources.

How ADHICS Improves Trust and Security

Compliance with ADHICS is mandatory for all healthcare organizations in Abu Dhabi. This instills confidence in patients that their sensitive health information is handled with utmost care. This confidence and trust acts as the foundation of an effective healthcare system that fosters strong patient-provider relationship and encourages better communication.

Paving the Way for Patient-Centric Healthcare

ADHICS is not just about data security. It transforms the way healthcare is delivered, by promoting a holistic, patient-centric approach. It enables secure exchange of health information, leading to better coordination of care among healthcare providers, and more accurate diagnoses, more effective treatment plans, and improved patient outcomes.

Enhancing Patient Experience

ADHICS empowers patients, transforming them from passive care recipients to active participants in their healthcare journey. The availability of their health information through ADHICS enables patients to make informed decisions about their care. This access to information fosters a sense of ownership and control, leading to greater patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment plans.

How ADHICS Fosters Innovation in Healthcare

By establishing a secure foundation for health information technology, ADHICS encourages the development and adoption of new technologies that can improve healthcare delivery. Telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, and other digital health solutions can thrive in an environment where data security is paramount.

Benefits of Compliance with ADHICS

Just like the benefits that come with NABIDH Compliance in Dubai, ADHICS compliance brings a whole lot of benefits to healthcare facilities and providers in Abu Dhabi:

It facilitates secure usage of medical technology and exchange of information. This helps maintain public trust in healthcare and Government’s initiatives towards healthcare delivery.
Provides comprehensive risk management and compliance towards health information security mandates and practices.
Protects the entity’s reputation and builds patient trust in its operations.
Minimizes the healthcare entity’s network exposure to unauthorized access by adopting the right security policies and procedures.
Increases predictability of technology compromises and reduces uncertainty of business
Enables safer use of medical devices and equipment for fast, efficient, and secure operations.
Enables secure digital transformation empowering the entity to operate more efficiently, intelligently, and effectively.
Minimizes compliance failures in third-party and cloud services by incorporating security requirements as part of their life cycles.
Increases staff awareness of cybersecurity practices and due diligence to detect and prevent cyber-attacks.
Prevents non-compliance penalties, by thoroughly evaluating the processes and technical infrastructure for security gaps.
Contributes to DoH initiatives towards strengthening the information security landscape of the health sector of the emirate.
Prevents financial loss resulting from theft of Personally Identifiable Information and loss of intellectual property through effective management of information assets.
Enables better and secure ways to process health-related electronic transactions.

ADHICS is a valuable resource for healthcare entities in Abu Dhabi. It is not just a set of standards, but a vision for the future of healthcare in Abu Dhabi. It’s a vision where healthcare is safe, secure, and patient-centric, where technology empowers both patients and providers to achieve better health outcomes. ADHICS acts as a guiding principle, ensuring that Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system is always at the forefront of innovation and patient care.