Having a lab test at home in Dubai

The two DHA standards behind a home test

Home healthcare. Under DHA’s Standards for Home Healthcare Services, any service carried out at a patient’s home falls under home healthcare. Licensed facilities apply for permission through Sheryan, DHA’s licensing system, and medical laboratories are among the facility types that can do so. The people who visit must be licensed and registered with DHA, and the standard allows a registered nurse to perform venepuncture, which means drawing blood, and point-of-care tests.

Clinical laboratories. DHA’s Standards for Clinical Laboratory Services say all licensed clinical laboratories must obtain accreditation in line with DHA policy. They also deal with how specimens are collected and identified.

What should happen at your door

1. The person collecting should identify you using at least two identifiers. Your full name and date of birth are common examples, so have your ID ready.
2. You should be asked for signed consent before services start. For someone under 18 or not fully oriented, a relative gives consent.
3. Your sample should be labelled in your presence. If it is taken away unlabelled, say something.
4. Used needles and clinical waste should be dealt with safely. The standard requires waste to be managed under Dubai Municipality rules and infection control to be followed.

Checking the lab before you book

Search the Dubai Medical Registry under Facilities. No login is needed. An entry can show the facility’s category, accreditations and add-on services, such as Home Healthcare. You can also search under Professionals for the name of the person who is coming. The home healthcare standard says a facility’s licence should be publicly posted at its main site.

Preparing for the test

Preparation depends on the test. The NHS notes that some blood tests may need fasting or changes to certain medicines, and that a health professional should tell you what to do. Ask the lab or your doctor first, and do not stop or change a medicine on your own. Drinking water and wearing a loose sleeve usually makes things easier.

A home visit is planned care, not emergency care. If you feel seriously unwell, have chest pain or struggle to breathe, call 998 and do not wait for your booking.

How it works on medicAI

In the app, each test page explains what the test checks and shows the price. You add your address, choose a date and time, and pay online. Staff from a licensed partner lab collect your sample at the booked time and test it at their lab. Results come back to the app and sit in your health record, and you can see a doctor by video to talk them through. Partner labs are licensed by DHA or DoH, and they run the tests. medicAI provides the platform. See lab tests at home.

The tests you can book yourself on medicAI are over-the-counter tests, so you do not need a doctor’s consultation first. If you want help choosing a test or understanding a result, you can talk to a doctor.