Abu Dhabi:   Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), a SEHA healthsystem facility, launches the fourth and final phase of extended working hours at its clinics and healthcare centers in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

With effect from 1st May, 2015, Khalifa City, Al Maqtaa, Al Bahia, Al Bateen, Al Muwaiji, Al Yahar, and Neima Healthcare Centers will be operating from 3:00 pm-10:00 pm on Fridays, in addition to Oud Al Touba Diagnostic & Screening Center, Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center which are aleady operating on Friday, and the centers that operate 24 hours throughout the week, which include Al Khatem, Remah, Sweihan, Al Hayer, Al Qua’a and Mezyad Healthcare Centers.

Dr. Mariam Buti Al Mazroui, Acting CEO of AHS, commented: “This step comes in line with our plan to expand working hours across our network in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in order to provide patients with the healthcare services they need. It will also help reduce the congestion in the emergency departments of hospitals by giving patients requiring general medical care an alternative place to seek treatment other than the emergency department. This will in turn allow the hospitals to focus on patients who are truly in need of emergency care. It comes as a part of our ongoing efforts to provide world-class standards of comprehensive and round-the-clock healthcare services. We are working to reinforce our relationship with patients, provide them with quality services, meet their needs and expectations and achieve the highest levels of their satisfaction.”

“As a result of our extended timing plan,” Dr. Omar Al Hashemi, Acting Chief Operations Officer at AHS said, “AHS’ extended timing plan has achieved remarkable success. This is evident in the patient visits which increased between 23% and 99% on the first Saturdays of operation of the first two phases. This timing extension offers greater flexibility and convenience in consulting hours, while contributing to reduced waiting time and less congestion at these facilities.”

In the first phase of the timing extension plan, AHS implemented extended operating hours at Madinat Khalifa, Madinat Mohamed Bin Zayed and Al Maqtaa healthcare centers on Saturdays from 7:00am to 10:00pm, keeping the regular working hours of these centers on weekdays unchanged from 7:00am to 10:00pm.

The second phase included extension of working hours at Al Shamkha, Al Bahia, Al Bateen, and Baniyas healthcare centers in Abu Dhabi and Al Muwaiji, Al Yahar, Al Masoudi, and Neima Healthcare Centers in Al Ain. These centers offer now extended operating hours from 7:00am to 10:00pm on Saturdays, while Al Yahar centre opens from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Fridays.

Third phase was implemented at Al Jahili Healthcare Centre in Al Ain, and Al Ettihad Healthcare Centre in Abu Dhabi. Both facilities operate now from 7:00am to 10:00pm on Saturdays, with unchanged regular working hours on weekdays from 7:00am to 10:00pm.

After the implementation of phase 1, Al Maqtaa witnessed a 30% increase in patient visits on the first Saturday of extended hours while Madinat Khalifa Healthcare Center experienced a 63% increase in the first week alone. Meanwhile, Madinat Mohamed bin Zayed Healthcare Center, which did not previously open on Saturdays, served 104 patients.

Upon the implementation of phase 2, patient visits increased by 23% in Baniyas Healthcare Center, 30% in Al Muwaiji Healthcare Center, 35% in Al Bateen Healthcare Center, 53% in Al Masoudi Healthcare Center, 58% in Al Bahia, and 99% in Neima Healthcare Center, where patient visits jumped from 81 to 161 on the first Saturday of extended operations. Al Shamkha Healthcare Center served 97 patients in the first Saturday of operation.

Ambulatory Healthcare Services is committed to making the lives of people in the emirate of Abu Dhabi healthier. AHS uniquely combines local research findings and latest scientific evidence in the delivery of its holistic healthcare services in Abu Dhabi.

AHS’ efforts are centered around its commitment to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s strategic priority to become one of the best five governments in the world in its delivery of public services.