As part of the ongoing efforts towards digital transformation and improving the quality of healthcare services provided to the community, Rustaq Hospital, represented by the Department of Development and Professional Guidance, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Health Services in South Al Batinah Governorate, organized an introductory session on the electronic health portal and the digital services it provides.

The session was held at Rustaq Hospital and was presented by Khalid  Khalifa Al Shoaili, a health information systems specialist. It targeted healthcare workers at the hospital from various medical, allied health, and administrative categories, aiming to enhance their understanding of how to maximize the use of the portal's digital services.

The introductory session included a detailed presentation on the electronic portal, highlighting a wide range of digital services it offers, such as unified access to electronic systems, submitting applications for issuing and renewing health licenses, and health awareness services designed to promote public health awareness among citizens and residents.

The electronic health portal provides a broad spectrum of electronic services and health information for the public, including services such as newborn registration, booking health appointments at hospitals and health centers, tracking laboratory test results online, issuing and renewing health cards, and general health inquiries.

For businesses and healthcare institutions, the portal offers key services such as registering and accrediting private healthcare institutions, renewing medical licenses for hospitals and private clinics, registering medicines and medical supplies, and accrediting doctors and expatriate healthcare professionals, in addition to veterinary licenses and special pharmaceutical permits.

The portal also includes a health services directory, providing comprehensive information about government hospitals, available health centers across different governorates, locations of on-duty pharmacies, emergency services, and healthcare hotlines.

In terms of e-health, the portal offers technological solutions for healthcare facilities, such as the electronic Shifa system to facilitate healthcare transactions, the electronic health records (EHR) management system, and an online health communication platform between patients and doctors.

Regarding health awareness and prevention, the portal provides educational campaigns and programs on chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, as well as healthy lifestyles, vaccinations, prevention of infectious diseases, and maternal and child health.

As for health regulations and policies, the ministry offers access through the portal to healthcare-related laws and regulations, patients' rights and responsibilities in healthcare institutions, and policies for disease prevention and control.

The session also covered recent updates to the electronic portal, aimed at improving user experience by facilitating access to services and speeding up transactions. The mechanisms adopted to ensure the security and privacy of health data according to the highest standards were also reviewed.

Khalid Al-Shoaili, the presenter of the session, emphasized the importance of the portal in supporting the digital transformation of the healthcare sector in the Sultanate, as it effectively contributes to improving the quality of healthcare services and reducing the burden on healthcare institutions by providing integrated and easy-to-use electronic services.

The session witnessed significant interaction from participants, who raised their questions and inquiries on how to benefit from the available services and provided suggestions for improving and developing the portal to meet their practical needs.

At the conclusion of the session, participants expressed their appreciation for the efforts made in developing the electronic health portal and stressed the importance of continuing such awareness activities to enhance the optimal use of electronic health services.