du and Mobile Doctors 24-7 partner to offer innovative service –

An illness can strike at any time, but when it happens, having a physician available to discuss symptoms and seek appropriate care is reassuring. This is now made possible with the going live of the Around-the-Clock Physician Help Line – a joint initiative launched by Mobile Doctors 24-7 International, approved and licensed by the Dubai Health Care City and supported by du.  To be initially offered to 40,000 select du customers for a free trial period of 60 days, the initiative seeks to reduce unnecessary emergency rooms visits and over-utilization of healthcare services by offering phone-based access to qualified physicians – around-the-clock, and free of any charge.   The announcement coincides with Arab Health 2012, wherein du is supporting the first ever mobile health conference M+Health on 24 January as the exclusive Knowledge Partner.

Supported by du, the service offers a scalable array of clinical management services designed to provide timely access to needed services, facilitate coordination of care, and enable alternatives to hospital care where appropriate. Most critically for the member patients, Around-the-Clock Physician Help Line’s integrated clinical model provides the appropriate level of care at the time of need.

“Across the region there is already a huge burden on healthcare systems due to rising costs, scarce resources and lack of capacity. Supporting an innovation that allows real time access to quality healthcare from the convenience of your home and respecting the mobility our customers demand, is our goal. As a progressive telecom service provider, we are perhaps best positioned to offer our expertise to leverage emerging technologies that can improve physician productivity and patient care via dedicated help lines, mobile hotspots, wireless medical monitoring devices, tablet computers, and smartphones,” commented Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du.

“We provide a 24-7 access to quality healthcare through our physician helpline, offering patients timely care and desired convenience by providing those who call with the opportunity to speak directly with a local, licensed and qualified physician regarding their health needs.  If you or your family member is sick, you may not be sure what to do, and it may seem like the Emergency Room is your only option. That is not true anymore. Patients who call our helpline with any health care needs or concerns are able to speak with a physician, who will understand the history and assess and advise on the best options for the patient.  We are excited that du is our local U.A.E. partner in this endeavor,” stated Adam Chilcote, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, of Mobile Doctors 24-7 International.

“Employees of du have now had access to this innovative service from Mobile Doctors 24-7 International since November 2011 with excellent results and a very positive user experience” added Dr Mansoor Anwar, Director of Medical & Occupational Health Services at du. “We are excited about the potential for wellness, coordinated healthcare and reduction in insurance premium that this service will enable. Furthermore the service will allow a platform for more visibility on the prevalence of chronic diseases and will provide a way to better monitor and control the burden of these diseases.”

Smart Health

At du, it is the goal to innovate and deliver services and value in all customer and enterprise segments. du has announced a portfolio of current and future products collectively branded as Smart Health, which is constantly expanding. The current portfolio includes the announcement of Physician Help Line – a 24-7 service in strategic partnership with Mobile Doctors 24-7 International; Health Text, a bouquet of SMS-based content services to encourage people to stay healthy (e.g. Live Well) and Health Link, a strategic partnership with Ericsson to deliver remote monitoring solutions for the management of chronic diseases.

About du

du, the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, launched mobile telecommunication services in February 2007 across the UAE, in addition to internet and pay TV services that du provides in some of the free zones of Dubai. Call Select, du’s nationwide fixed line services for voice telephony, was launched in July 2007. By the end of 3rd quarter of 2011, over 4,937,900people in the UAE had chosen to become du mobile customers.

Among du’s many firsts is its historic Number Booking Campaign for both individuals and business, Pay by the Second billing system, Mobile TV, Mobile Payments, first of its kind ‘WoW’ recharge card (which offers customers the choice between ‘more credit’, ‘more time’ and now the ‘more international’ recharge option with additional credit on international calls) and Self Care.

For business customers, du business offers include Closed Business User Group and preferred International Destinations. du Broadcast Services division brings scalable media technology platforms and telecommunication solutions to the broadcast community through its world-class teleport (Samacom) and Master Control Room (MCR) facilities.

du products and services for consumers and business are available through du’s retail network, currently numbering 37 du shops located in strategic locations across the UAE, including the recently opened flagship store located in the heart of Abu Dhabi. In addition, customers can access du products and services at more than 3000 authorised dealers or through the du e-shop, accessible at http://shop.du.aedu shops are a one-stop-shop for mobile service, carrier select and the payment of service bills.

du is 39.5 per cent owned by the UAE Federal Government, 19.75 per cent by Mubadala Development Company, 19.5 per cent by Emirates Communications & Technology Company LLC and the remaining stake by public shareholders. It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and trades under the name du.