Abu Dhabi Health Data Services Achieves Global Reference Site Status From SNOMED International For Data Standardisation

Abu Dhabi Health Data Services (ADHDS), a part of the M42 group, has been recognised by SNOMED International as a Global Reference Site for Data Standardisation and SNOMED CT implementation. This recognition highlights the success of Malaffi, the first Health Information Exchange in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, in implementing SNOMED CT data standards on a large scale.

The formal recognition was marked by a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the ZIMAM Digital Health Forum's eighth edition. Kareem Shahin, CEO of ADHDS, and Don Sweete, CEO of SNOMED International, were signatories. As a Global Reference Site, ADHDS will guide healthcare systems across the UAE and beyond by sharing its methodologies and governance frameworks.

Malaffi's team has significantly improved data quality and standardisation across Abu Dhabi's healthcare ecosystem. This network connects over 3,000 healthcare facilities with more than 52,000 authorised users accessing 3.5 million clinical records. The implementation covers various clinical domains like diagnoses, allergies, chronic diseases, family history, social history, and diagnostic procedures.

The SNOMED CT implementation has laid a foundation for AI-driven healthcare advancements. It supports advanced analytics and predictive modelling while enhancing clinical decision-making throughout the Emirate. The standardised data infrastructure facilitates real-time population health surveillance and evidence-based policymaking.

This initiative eliminates the need for third-party terminology servers by establishing a sustainable data standardisation model. It also improves clinical data quality directly at source Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). The Department of Health’s guidance on coding standards issued in November 2021 played a crucial role in this achievement.

Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health Sector at DoH, stated that Malaffi's success demonstrates how public-private partnerships can transform healthcare delivery in Abu Dhabi. "The success of Malaffi's SNOMED CT implementation demonstrates how public-private partnerships can drive transformational change in healthcare delivery in Abu Dhabi," he said.

Future Prospects

Kareem Shahin emphasised that this partnership positions ADHDS as an interoperability centre of excellence ready to support digital transformation initiatives across the UAE and broader Middle East region. "This partnership and recognition positions ADHDS as an interoperability centre of excellence," he noted.

Don Sweete praised ADHDS and Malaffi for setting a benchmark in healthcare data standardisation. "ADHDS and Malaffi represent the gold standard for healthcare data standardisation implementation," he remarked. Their work exemplifies how effective governance and stakeholder collaboration can harness SNOMED CT's potential.

The regulatory framework combined with ADHDS's dedicated support ensures sustainable adoption across the healthcare ecosystem. This comprehensive approach reinforces Abu Dhabi’s leadership in AI-driven healthcare innovation, enabling predictive analytics and personalised medicine at scale.

With inputs from WAM