Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital: a closer look

Since opening in November 2016 as the first and only children’s hospital in the UAE, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital has set its sights on one day becoming one of the top ten paediatric hospitals in the world.

Here are a few of the hospital’s core principles that will tell you more…

Equal opportunity and treatment of illnesses for children across the region
The hospital works on the vision of the UAE’s leadership, in that children across the region should have equal opportunity for success in life and their treatment of illnesses shouldn’t be subject to geographical change. Its services focus around the five Centres of Excellence, including Heart, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Kidney, Neurosciences and Critical Care. With a 200-bed capacity and both outpatient and inpatient facilities, service never falters at Al Jalila. Children and adolescents have access to over 27 outpatient clinic services, in addition to a state-of-the-art Emergency Department that functions 24/7 and specialises in paediatric emergency medicine.

Providing 360-degree approach to ensure the right diagnosis is given, under one roof
Pride is taken in the fact that the hospital offers a 360-degree approach to care, so that when a child is seen by a physician at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, the physicians ensure that a complete and thorough diagnosis is made. There may be instances where a child needs to be seen by more than one physician, and the hospital is able to ensure a team of physicians is at hand to provide the right diagnosis, all under one roof.

Creating a child-friendly environment to enhance positivity
One of the most important aspects at Al Jalila Children’s is the environment. The hospital prides itself on being a child–friendly facility to ensure that every corner is filled with positivity, whether that includes glow-in-the-dark wallpapers or screens with cartoon characters on the ceilings to provide children with a stress-free setting during scans and x-rays. The hospital design even has open spaces for children to participate in outdoor activities on a regular basis.

Ensuring loved ones are never too far away
Children can stay in contact with family and friends through interactive touch screen in each room, and even play online games, and access educational portals when required. For those children who may be in the hospital long term, there are numerous facilities that allow children to continue their education, including a dedicated study space in every room and private teachers to assist in continuing their education directly from hospital grounds.

Utilising the latest technology for enhanced staff and patient experiences
Al Jalila Children’s is a SMART hospital, which means they are constantly working to develop world-class digital technology for the benefit of their staff, patients, and parents. One example of this is the in-house pharmacy which hosts one of the first automated dispensing systems in the UAE.

Technology is used to enhance patient experience, from temperature-controlled rooms, to dedicated play and gaming areas, in order to create a positive hospital experience but also to provide psychosocial support for the patients. This in turn promotes optimal cognitive, emotional, social and physical development for the patient. The rooms even have adjustable LED lighting system to create a soothing ambience, helping patients to relax and support healthy sleep and recovery in comfort.

Details: For more information, visit the Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital website.