Healthcare IT Compliance in the UAE: DHA and DOH Requirements

Healthcare IT systems in Dubai and Abu Dhabi must comply with DHA and DOH regulations. Here's a practical guide to healthcare technology compliance in the UAE.

Healthcare organizations in the UAE operate under strict regulatory oversight from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH), and Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). IT systems that handle patient data, clinical workflows, and medical records must meet specific compliance requirements that go beyond general data protection.

Key Regulatory Requirements

DHA's Health Data Protection Regulation establishes requirements for health data collection, storage, processing, and sharing. DOH's JAWDA framework defines quality and safety standards including IT system requirements. Both regulators mandate electronic health record (EHR) interoperability standards, requiring healthcare IT systems to support HL7 FHIR and ICD-10 coding.

Patient Data Protection

Healthcare data in the UAE receives special protection beyond PDPL. Patient records must be encrypted at rest and in transit, access must be role-based with detailed audit logging, data must be stored within the UAE, and patients must have the right to access their records. Consent management systems must track patient permissions for data sharing across providers.

Technical Implementation

Healthcare IT systems must implement strong authentication (MFA for clinical users), session management (automatic lockout in clinical environments), integration security (secured APIs for lab, pharmacy, and imaging systems), and backup procedures that ensure patient data availability. Regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments are required.

Bayden works with healthcare organizations across the UAE to build and secure compliant IT systems. From patient portals and EHR integrations to cybersecurity assessments and compliance audits, we ensure your healthcare technology meets the highest regulatory and security standards.