UAE hospital sector graphic
We look at how private hospital operators in the UAE ramped up operations and increased occupancy – or lost it – during 2015-2017. Distinct patterns emerge.
Keeping with the theme of Arab Health, which HBI attended last week, our infographics below show which private hospital operators in Dubai and Abu Dhabi managed to increase operational beds and occupancy and which did not.
We separate out the big international group-owned facilities – NMC, VPS, Mediclinic, the Saudi operators and big-name PE firms – from the rest, although their scale did not necessarily help them weather the fallout from falling oil prices in 2014 and 2015.
Occupancy changes are shown vertically (bottom to top) while operational ramp-up is shown horizontally (left to right), meaning the strongest performers are found towards to the top right while those who saw both fall languish in the bottom left.
Abu Dhabi: private hospital operators’ change in operational beds and occupancy, 2015-2016
No one reduced their bed count in the capital from 2015 to 2016 but the big three international groups did lose occupancy in some facilities. Having said that, NMC’s long-term care centre Provita and its Brightpoint (now Royal Women’s) hospital increased their occupancy by 85 percentage points and 29 percentage points respectively, while significantly increasing beds.
Independents include groups owned by investors/larger companies, but we consider them as such in the context of the hospital sector’s consolidation. An increase in occupancy of 50% means it went from 25% to 75%, while for beds it means it went from 100 to 150.
Dubai: private hospital operators’ change in operational beds and occupancy, 2016-2017
Despite oil prices beginning to pick up in late 2015, Dubai’s operators didn’t fare a whole deal better and even reduced their bed count in many cases. Again, NMC generally performed the best, increasing both occupancy and beds at its Al Zahra and DIP hospitals.
Independents include groups owned by investors/larger companies, but we consider them as such in the context of the hospital sector’s consolidation. An increase in occupancy of 50% means it went from 25% to 75%, while for beds it means it went from 100 to 150.
sources: HAAD and DHA reports
We would welcome your thoughts on this story. Email your views to Cameron Murray or call 0207 183 3779.
