This is a research proposal that aims to investigate the impact of leadership styles on employee behavior such as: motivation, job satisfaction and burnout in Abu Dhabi hospitals, while looking at the mediating role of conflict management, among Emiratis and Expats. A cross-sectional mixed methods approach will be utilized to achieve the desired results. A survey and questionnaire will be distributed among 5 randomly selected hospitals in the Abu Dhabi, while 5 random departmental leaders will then be contacted for a semi-structured interview. The completion of this paper is expected to take 12-13 weeks. The limitations of adopting a cross-sectional study design are the absenteeism of a before and after data exposure, running the risk of same-source bias, and susceptibility to social desirability bias.

The rapid expansion of home medication delivery services introduced new oper-ational and safety challenges, particularly in the post-pandemic era where pa-tient expectations, safety protocols, and remote care have taken center stage. At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD), Home Delivery (HD) was running opera-tionally but lacked structured pharmacist oversight, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in patient care. A quality improvement project was initiated to embed pharmacist-led interventions supported by Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to enhance clinical safety, operational performance, and patient satisfaction. A strategic KPI dashboard was developed, covering clinical, operational, and pa-tient experience domains. Key metrics included Capture Rate, Counseling Rate, Cold Chain Compliance, Return to Stock (RTS) Rate, and Complaint Resolution. The intervention was delivered through a structured quality improvement model involving baseline assessment, system alignment, and pharmacist empower-ment. The intervention led to a 38% reduction in RTS, improved counseling documen-tation, fewer Force Dispense events, and greater pharmacist engagement. HD operations were aligned with Joint Commission International (JCI) standards, and the model proved scalable with minimal cost. The framework offers action-able guidance for hospital leaders seeking to enhance remote medication deliv-ery using measurable pharmacist contributions.

Background: The phenomenon of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is profoundly changing how healthcare is provided to patients, particularly the quality of healthcare and the effective ef-ficiency of medical services, but introduced ethical concerns, especially related to patient privacy, informed consent, and doctor-patient relationships. The proposed scoping review is supposed to determine the main ethical concerns and their reflection on patient-centered care within AI-based healthcare environments. Methods: The scoping review was performed via PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar with the following keywords: AI in healthcare, ethics, patient privacy and informed consent. Articles pub-lished in English since 2019 were chosen with the consideration of their emphasis on ethical is-sues of AI in the clinical context (the privacy, accountability, and transparency). After a strict se-lection process a total of 23 peer-reviewed articles were used. Findings: The review has revealed the main ethical problems namely the violation of patient pri-vacy through the widespread use of data, difficulty in informed consent underpinning AI-informed decisions, accountability bias worsening healthcare inequities, and a lack of trans-parency in addressing AI misconduct. These concerns are likely to erode patient autonomy and trust in AI though it has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy. Discussion: The results support the fact that the AI implementation in healthcare needs to be regu-lated by strong ethical codes and policies. To ensure that AI does not override patient rights, there should be standardized consent procedures, clear algorithms, and multidisciplinary control to achieve ethical integration that focuses on patient-centered care. Consistent with the National AI Strategy 2031 within the UAE, the recommendations aid fair implementation, which encourages innovation and preserves societal values.

In clinical laboratories, pre-analytical errors are the most common sources of diagnostic errors, mostly due to specimen misidentification, mislabeling, and manual handling. The use of bar-code-based systems of specimen identification has been actively marketed as the solution to en-hance traceability, efficiency of the workflow, and patient safety, yet, there is little and discontinued empirical evidence of such systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) laboratories. The purpose of the study was to synthesize and critically review available international evidence on the effect of barcode systems on quality of specimen management, especially on pre-analytical laboratory operations and applicability to the UAE healthcare environment. Peer-reviewed studies, systematic reviews and international guidelines published after 2010 were used as a narrative literature review. PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched using keywords to identify studies that reported quantitative measures of specimen misidentification rates, labelling errors, rejection rates, and turnaround times. There was no collection of primary data. Descriptive synthesisation and interpretation of reported outcomes was done against the ISO 15189 quality requirements (Vermeersch et al., 2021; Yeste et al., 2021). In a wide range of healthcare environments, the implementation of barcodes was invariably linked to significant decreases in the rate of misidentification of specimen and pre-analytical errors, commonly over 70% relative reduction in observational research. Systematic reviews demonstrated much more odds of identification errors with non-barcoded workflows. There was also a reported improvement in turnaround time and decrease in incidents related to specimen-related patient-safety often reported, but the effect sizes were inconsistent and depending on the context, baseline error rates, and process changes. The quantitative summaries used depict trends that have been reported in the literature instead of pooled or locally derived estimates. The evidence reviewed shows that specimen identification systems, which are based on barcodes, have become one of the primary contributors to the elevation of pre-analytical quality and patient safety in clinical laboratories. Although there is not much direct empirical data in the UAE, the international results indicate that the adoption of barcodes in line with the ISO 15189 standards may bring similar positive outcomes (Vermeersch et al., 2021). The primary research conducted in the UAE with standardized reporting in the future is necessary to confirm the local impact and inform the national laboratory quality approaches.

This study explores the factors contributing to burnout and employee turn over among allied health professionals, especially physiotherapists, in UAE hospitals. Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced achievement, poses a significant challenge to healthcare sustainability globally and re gionally. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research quantitatively assesses burnout prevalence using psychometric tools like the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), alongside qualitative data from interviews with health professionals who have transitioned to less stressful roles. The study aims to find systemic issues in hospital management, evaluate wellness ini tiatives, and develop evidence-based strategies to reduce staff turnover. Data will be gathered from over 200 professionals in public and private hospitals, ensuring diverse representation. Key burnout contributors predicted include excessive workloads, lim ited autonomy, insufficient managerial support, and few career advancement opportu nities. The study will propose a “Smart Retention Framework,” integrating AI workload management, mental health support, and career development strategies tailored to the UAE healthcare context, ultimately aiming to enhance workforce sustainability in the region ( see Table 1, following references).

Abstract: Food insecurity is a significant hinderer to effective management of Type 2 Diabetes in low income communities. This is because insufficient food access worsens healthcare outcomes due to poor nutritional intake. This study investigates how food insecurity in the low-income countries, particularly impacts the management of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease, that is majorly characterized by high blood glucose levels, and thus proper dieting is one of the major ways it can be managed. This is also complemented by proper healthcare. However, in the low-income countries, health care systems and cost keep rising, and thus effective management in this era relies mostly on proper food. In the UAE, Type 2 Diabetes prevalence is about 20.7% which is one of the highest in the world (IDF, nd). The country has a huge proportion of migrant workers from low income countries, who are also affected by the rising cost of food and housing in the UAE, thus constraining their access to quality diets (World Bank, 2024). Using a PRISMA guide literature review, the study draws sources from PubMed and Google Scholar. The systematic review led to an analysis of 12 articles that focus on Type 2 diabetes and food insecurity in low income populations. However, for accurate results, the study excludes studies on children, gestational diabetes, and any food insecurity articles that were not on medical context. The findings of this study reveal that food insecurity directly increases HbA1c levels by 0.6% in low income countries. The study also reveals that 69% of diabetics in LMICs experience poor glycemic control which is attributed to economic barriers and low nutritional knowledge. The study concludes that food insecurity has a significant impact on the management of Type 2 diabetes. To reduce this impact, the study suggests introduction of community food programs, subsidized healthy foods and cross sector partnerships.

Healthcare professional burnout has become a burning problem in most countries around the world, and this problem is significantly high in the fast-growing healthcare segment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment are the elements of burnout that adversely influence staff well-being and patient outcomes. This study examines whether staffing increases and shift optimization are effective strategic measures that can eliminate burnout in the UAE hospitals. Since the study is based on a secondary data analysis, the research emphasizes that work overload, unpredictable shifts, and lack of adequate staffing are the key factors of burnout. It also looks into the stress reduction policies towards the particular staffing, flexible scheduling, and tech-driven solutions, including AI-assisted rota plans. The research relies on JD-R Model and the Burnout Theory by Maslach, which will be used to find the theoretical support of the intended interventions. The results support the concept of a comprehensive, evidence-based reform carrying on human resources and opera-tion planning. Although institutional barriers continue to exist, the study provides advice on how hospital administrators and policy makers can develop a more sustainable and resilient workforce in the healthcare sector and the UAE in particular.

Telemedicine is a new spectacle in the sphere of healthcare provision, particularly in the post-COVID-19 period. This is a critical review of the multifaceted role of telemedicine in healthcare systems between 2020 and 2025, including its impact on patient outcomes, barriers to adoption, and long-term sustainability. Through a systematic review of recent primary data, the paper demonstrates that while telemedicine is essential for reducing wait times and expanding access to underserved areas, there remains much to learn, including reimbursement, digital literacy, and inequities among vulnerable populations. The paper critically evaluates the paradoxical consequences of telemedicine, which improve access but, conversely, can further exacerbate disparities. The most important findings show that system-level interventions (infrastructure, policy frameworks, and stakeholder engagement) are needed to implement changes effectively. By incorporating evidence-based data and providing practice-based recommendations to practitioners and policymakers, the paper contributes to the knowledge base of healthcare management and facilitates the sustainable implementation of telemedicine.

The healthcare sector of the UAE is undergoing digital transformation. The policy support, along with the national vision, is providing dedicated support for accelerating this transformation. However, despite the government-led initiatives, there exist some critical gaps in the sector’s technological investments and actual care outcomes. This research work was conducted to synthesize the existing evidence and explore the current state of digital transformation in the UAE hospitals, evaluating the current trends and challenges. The analysis is anchored at the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) and Donabedian (Structure-Process-Outcome) framework, and secondary research findings reveal that although the UAE hospitals are proactively investing in the emerging technological tools, a deeper analysis highlights key gaps at the backend. Some commonly highlighted challenges currently being faced by UAE hospitals include interoperability crises, workforce capability gaps, and weak strategic leadership. Collectively, these challenges hinder the effective integration of digital technologies, reducing their beneficial impact on care outcomes. Based on the analysis, the study concludes that currently, the key challenge being faced by the UAE healthcare sector is not about the technology adoption, but about the managerial and organizational aspects that impact the wider and in-depth integration. The hospital management and policy makers should stretch their focus from the technological to the managerial side to achieve the desired outcomes from their digitalization investment.

For the UAE, the recent population increase, coupled with rapid urbanization and higher per capita water consumption patterns, arid climatic conditions with acceleration of extreme weather temperatures, and being located in one of the world's most water-stressed regions with severely limited freshwater availability has posed a critical and escalating challenge of water scarcity, with implications not only for public health and achieving prosperity and sustainable development, but also presenting as a threat to geopolitical security. By employing a systematic literature review approach supplemented by secondary data from official reports from UAE government and international entities such as WHO, FAO, UNDP, policy documents, global environmental frameworks and studies conducted, and peer-reviewed academic research, this working paper has scrutinized the causes of water scarcity in the UAE's context under the domains of water availability, consumption patterns, public health risks, and the effective-ness of current policy responses. Results confirmed that the problem of water scarcity in the UAE is being aggravated by low rainfall, averaging an average of <100 mm/year, climate variability changes, over-consumption of water by the populace, over-extraction of water underground, and ineffective conservation strategies used by industries and agricultural sectors. This results in an increase in the gap between demand and sup-ply of water, with a considerable dependence on the desalination process, which meets more than 90% of the country's freshwater demands and puts the natural water resources of the UAE under significant strain. The detrimental effects of water scarcity on population health have been identified as immediate, intermediate, and long-term implications. These include poor levels of hygiene practice, the prevalence of water-borne diseases, varied levels of malnutrition that may result due to poor water availability, higher rates of trans-fer of infectious ailments, mental stress issues, and the problem of population migrations that cause health crises with financial stresses on the healthcare system, and result in reduced production levels of the healthcare sector. Furthermore, lower agricultural productivity may result in food insecurity conditions that create a higher dependence on imported food products, making vulnerable sections of the community prone to malnutrition. The set of strategies currently followed by the UAE regarding water management, such as the 2036 Water Security Strategy, has also been critically assessed. These strategies concentrate on the efficiency of water desalination and water reuse. The current UAE water management strategies, including the Water Security Strategy 2036 and national programs focusing on desalination efficiency, waste-water reuse, and conservation, have also been critically evaluated. Despite recent progress achieved in water conservation efforts, addressing the limitations, such as modifying consumer consumption behaviour, real-time monitoring of water quality, engaging relevant stakeholders, intersectoral collaboration, and the prompt implementation of innovative approaches to reduce the environmental burden of energy-intensive desalination processes, is necessary in order to achieve an effective and sustained management of water shortages in this region. In conclusion, the way forward to address water scarcity is outlined in the form of multi-level strategies that integrate sustainable water desalination technologies, expand waste-water reuse, and incorporate smart water conservation systems. Offering better governance structures and filling the gaps regarding water policies and building public awareness regarding the issue can help the UAE not only assure its water security but also the health of its citizens as well.