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Dubai is advancing its healthcare innovation with the launch of an AI-powered Virtual ICU system designed to monitor critical patients in real time and alert medical teams to early signs of distress. The pilot project, introduced by Dubai Health, marks a major milestone in the city’s goal to integrate artificial intelligence into its healthcare infrastructure.
The AI-powered Virtual ICU is currently being tested on ten ICU beds at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital. Using advanced AI cameras, the system analyzes patient movements, facial expressions, and skin color changes that may indicate discomfort or possible medical emergencies.
“The AI cameras continuously monitor patients, analyzing their facial expressions, movements, and skin tone,” said Hend Majed Al Abbar, Director of the AI Enablement Department at Dubai Health. “If any sign of distress is detected, the system sends an immediate alert to the nursing station for quick medical intervention.”
The platform is also integrated with Salama, Dubai Health’s unified electronic medical record (EMR) system, ensuring automatic tracking of vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure. This integration allows healthcare professionals to access a complete, real-time view of each patient’s condition.
Developed in collaboration with the National Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., the project enables remote monitoring of the same ICU beds from the hospital’s command center in the United States.
According to Al Abbar, the pilot phase is nearing completion and will become fully operational in December. “Once implemented, we’ll assess the system’s impact and explore expanding it to other ICUs across Dubai Health hospitals,” she added.
