be an efficient and an effective medical tool in the
UAE. The current TM systems in the UAE
represents an initial and a vital resource for such
networks as the quality of consultations provided by
such specialty centers like Mayo clinic represent a
climax in the area of healthcare in the world. At the
regional level, such TM networks could establish the
UAE as a leading healthcare destination. The UAE
is well qualified to occupy this position given the
witnessed economical, technological and educational
growth and the stable political and legal
environment. The culture and the social environment
in the UAE is characterized of being as open to other
cultures. However, learning from the experience of
other medical destinations in the region (i.e., Jordan,
Kuwait) is very important. Hurdles concerning the
TM technology such as obtaining approvals and
certifications of the TM equipment (i.e., from the
FDA), reimbursement, litigations, and licensure are
big concerns in the US but not to the UAE context.
These issues provide further drive to the adoption of
TM in the UAE.
The amount of resources provided by the
government to the adoption of latest techniques and
tools in healthcare are tremendous and indeed, TM
could be considered as one of these strategic
projects. Indeed, this alone could remove many of
the hurdles surrounding justifying the financial
efficacy of the TM in healthcare in the UAE. Such
hurdles at the beginning of any TM projects could
kill the project at its infancy.
What is yet to be seen is to push the current TM
initiatives into the more interactive ones (TM
networks). Of course, providing a strategy for the
effective use of such networks is very important as
well. Looking for leaders and product champions in
each hospital is very important. This fact was also
supported in this research. Given the technical and
social complexity of the TM technology, leaders and
product champions could play a vital role in
empowering and facilitating the adoption and the
usage of TM in their organizations in the UAE.
It could be argued/agreed here that the UAE
government is engaged in executing more urgent
projects (infrastructural) but that should not
undermine the fact that TM could be considered as
one of such priority/strategic tools. This is yet to be
seen as well.
7 CONCLUSION
This research has addressed many of the issues
surrounding the adoption and usage of TM in the
UAE from a theoretical and a professional stance
and pointed to several implications and suggestions.
Such findings are of great importance to
professional, policymakers and researchers
interested in the research findings in general or in
the UAE context more specifically. The research
calls upon such stakeholders to initiate more
comprehensive and interactive TM projects in the
UAE and to consider the TM technology as one of
the strategic building blocks of the national health
strategy in the UAE. Thus, elevating beyond the
current simple use of the TM technology and hence,
emancipating into more daring TM initiatives could
benefit the health sector in the UAE. This may not
necessary take the form of “big-bang” project and
indeed, such national initiative could be achieved in
phases. The research findings set broad guidelines
and suggestions for such stakeholders and indeed
more consequent research studies could monitor the
progress and the development of the TM technology
and the research model in the UAE.
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