The Dubai Health Authority announced today the launch of the second phase of the E-claims project, which facilitates a paperless environment to ensure that all insurance claims in the Emirate are electronic.

In June, this year, the first phase of the E-claims project was launched which ensured that claims for all 100,000 government employees under the Enaya programme with Neuron are electronic. In the second phase, all healthcare providers and insurance policies in Dubai will be claimed electronically.

Dr Haider Al Yousuf, director of Health Funding said: “The E-claims project not only helps generate real-time information and minimize insurance fraud but also is instrumental in the development of unified coding of medical information.”

“As a result of this project, today, all healthcare providers in Dubai are using the same coding language to lodge claims. Thus, information such as medication prescribed, diagnosis etc is all in the same coding language for all healthcare providers in the Emirate of Dubai.”

He said prior to the implementation of this project, coding medical information was not standardized and there was a lack of uniformity.

However, after this project has been implemented, the DHA health funding department in conjunction with Dimensions LLC has provided training to all healthcare providers to follow the same coding language, based on international standards.

He highlighted that since the implementation of this project, medical coding language for diagnosis, procedures, dental and pharmaceutical services is unified and that the project links members, providers and payers through a single electronic platform.

He said that the launch of the second phase of the E-claims project was announced during a meeting held recently with all insurance companies and was attended by 133  CEOs, COOs and senior members of insurance companies, third party administrators (TRA’s) and brokers to discuss the E-claims role out.

He said the project is in line with the strategic direction of the government of Dubai.

Al Yousuf said that already 1179 facilities in Dubai are submitting their claims electronically using the portal, in a standard coding format which is being used by more than 80 per cent of facilities registered with the program.

He added that the portal allows the department to effectively monitor insurance services, reduce abuse, report medical and pharmaceutical errors as well as monitor consumer behaviour and thus helps run a highly efficient health insurance industry in line with best international practices.

Omar Al Ameen, chairman of the Insurance Business Group in Dubai extended his support to the project and praised the efforts of the authority for implementing this system which helps monitor insurance services and is paperless in its approach. – TradeArabia News Service