UAE Cardiology Clinic & Cardiac Center: DHA Specialist Facility Guide 2026

Updated August 2026.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the UAE, accounting for 28% of all deaths according to the MoHAP Annual Health Statistics Report 2024. Ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, and cardiomyopathies are the most prevalent conditions in a population characterised by high rates of Type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and obesity. The UAE Heart Health Initiative 2025–2031, launched by MoHAP in partnership with the UAE Heart Foundation, targets a 15% reduction in cardiac mortality through earlier diagnosis, evidence-based treatment access, and cardiac rehabilitation programmes.

For cardiologists seeking to establish a private practice or invest in a cardiac centre in the UAE, this guide covers the full regulatory, infrastructure, and commercial landscape — from DHA specialist registration through to cath lab setup, cardiac imaging, DRG billing, and corporate screening programme development.

DHA Cardiovascular Specialist Registration

The Dubai Health Authority classifies cardiologists under the Consultant/Specialist Medical framework. To obtain DHA Cardiovascular Specialist Registration (DHA-PR):

1. Primary Qualification: MBBS or MD equivalent with postgraduate specialty training resulting in: MRCP (UK) with cardiology sub-specialty, FRCP (Canada), Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC/ABIM Cardiovascular Disease board), Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), or equivalent recognised by DHA.
2. Dataflow Primary Source Verification: All credentials submitted through Dataflow Group; PSV takes 30–45 days.
3. Sub-specialty Endorsements: Cardiologists wishing to perform invasive procedures must add specific endorsements to their DHA-PR:
   • Interventional Cardiology: documented case log of minimum 200 primary PCI procedures and 300 total coronary interventions, supported by institutional letters.
   • Electrophysiology: minimum 100 ablation procedures and 50 device implantations (pacemakers, ICDs) documented.
   • Echocardiography: Level III echocardiography training (American Society of Echocardiography or British Society of Echocardiography accreditation), with 300+ supervised studies.
4. DHA Classification Assessment: Consultant-grade registration requires a DHA Credentials Committee review of the candidate’s publications, leadership positions, and sub-specialty depth.

DOH Abu Dhabi Cardiac Facility Standards

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi regulates cardiac facilities through the Cardiac Care Facility Standard (CCFS-2022) and the Ambulatory Surgical Centre Standard (ASC-2022) for invasive procedures. Key DOH requirements:

• All cardiac facilities in Abu Dhabi must register each cardiac event (STEMI, NSTEMI, cardiac arrest, cardiac surgery outcome) on the MALAFFI Health Information Exchange within 24 hours of patient discharge.
• Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories in Abu Dhabi must participate in the Abu Dhabi Cardiac Catheterisation Registry, submitting case-level data (mortality, complication rates, door-to-balloon times) quarterly.
• DOH Cardiac Surgery Quality Improvement Programme (CSQIP): Facilities performing cardiac surgery must submit STS Database-format outcome data to the DOH CSQIP team monthly. Risk-adjusted outcomes are benchmarked against UAE and international averages; facilities scoring below threshold face DOH quality audit and potential service suspension.
• DOH Cardiac Rehabilitation: From 2025, DOH CCF-2022 mandates that all cardiac facilities refer post-MI and post-cardiac surgery patients to a DOH-approved cardiac rehabilitation programme within 30 days of discharge. This creates referral demand for co-located or affiliated cardiac rehabilitation services.

Cardiac Catheterisation Lab (Cath Lab) Setup and Licensing

A cardiac catheterisation laboratory is the highest-capability, highest-cost component of a private cardiac centre. UAE cath lab regulatory requirements span three authorities:

• DHA Invasive Cardiology Facility Licence: The cath lab must be listed as an “Invasive Cardiology — Catheterisation Laboratory” service line in the DHA facility licence. The facility must maintain on-site cardiac surgery backup capability or have a formal surgical cover agreement with a nearby DHA-licensed cardiac surgery centre within 15 minutes drive time.
• FANR Fluoroscopy Licence: The cath lab fluoroscopy C-arm or fixed flat-panel detector system (e.g., Philips Azurion, Siemens Artis series, GE Alura) is an X-ray device subject to FANR Class I radiation safety licence for each installation site. Dubai Municipality Radiation Safety Certificate also required. Fees: FANR AED 15,000–30,000 per system per year; Dubai Municipality AED 5,000–10,000.
• DOH ASC Compliance (Abu Dhabi): Cath labs in Abu Dhabi must comply with the Ambulatory Surgical Centre standard for pre-procedure patient preparation, sterile field maintenance (ISO 5/Grade A sterile field during sheath placement), post-procedure monitoring (minimum 4 hours), and emergency escalation protocols to a DOH-licensed hospital within 30 minutes.

MOHAP Class II device registration is required for the cath lab system, guidewires, balloon catheters, stents (each stent model requires individual MDPR entry), and haemodynamic monitoring equipment. Stent MOHAP registration: AED 3,000–6,000 per stent model per year; major interventional cardiology centres manage 30–80 active MOHAP stent registrations.

Echocardiography Lab and Cardiac Imaging Suite

A full-service cardiology clinic requires a non-invasive cardiac imaging suite offering transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TOE), stress echocardiography, cardiac CT, and cardiac MRI. MOHAP and FANR requirements:

• Echocardiography systems (GE Vivid E95, Philips EPIQ 7, Siemens SC2000): Class IIa medical devices, MOHAP registration AED 2,000–3,000/year per system.
• Cardiac CT scanner (Siemens SOMATOM Force, GE Revolution CT, Philips IQon): Class IIb, MOHAP fee AED 4,000/year. FANR licence required: AED 20,000–40,000/year. Dubai Municipality Radiation Safety Certificate and FANR-registered Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) mandatory.
• Cardiac MRI: (1.5T or 3.0T MRI with cardiac gating capability; Siemens MAGNETOM, GE SIGNA, Philips Ingenia): Class IIb, MOHAP fee AED 4,000/year. No FANR licence required for MRI (non-ionising radiation). MRI safety zone requirements (DHA TES-2022 MRI supplement) include 5-gauss line demarcation, quench pipe to external, and RF-shielded room.

DRG Billing Rates for Cardiology Services

The UAE healthcare payment system is transitioning from fee-for-service to Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) billing, with Abu Dhabi leading implementation under the Abu Dhabi Casemix System (ADCMS) managed by Daman. Key cardiac DRG rates under ADCMS 2025:

• DRG I-21 (STEMI with PCI, no complications): AED 22,000–28,000 per admission.
• DRG I-24 (Coronary artery stenting, elective): AED 18,000–24,000 per admission (facility fee; device costs billed separately).
• DRG I-61 (Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation): AED 35,000–55,000 per admission (facility fee; ICD device AED 40,000–80,000 additional).
• DRG I-25 (Coronary artery bypass graft, CABG): AED 65,000–95,000 per admission (inpatient cardiac surgery).

In Dubai, DHA is piloting DRG-based bundled payments for elective cardiac procedures through the Dubai Smart Health initiative. Until full DRG rollout, Dubai cardiac procedures are reimbursed via the DHA Unified Fee Schedule on a fee-for-service basis; cardiac catheterisation and angioplasty rates: AED 12,000–20,000 (facility fee) + AED 6,000–12,000 (physician fee).

Corporate Cardiac Screening Programmes

UAE corporate wellness expenditure on cardiac health screening exceeded AED 1.8 billion in 2025 (AON Hewitt UAE Benefits Survey). Large UAE government-linked corporations are among the largest procurers of corporate cardiac health programmes:

• ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company): Mandates annual cardiac risk assessment including ECG, echocardiogram, lipid profile, and blood pressure monitoring for all offshore and high-risk onshore employees (estimated 30,000+ eligible annually). Contracted facility must hold DOH accreditation and operate in Abu Dhabi or provide on-site medical unit capability.
• DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority): Annual preventive health programme includes cardiac screening for employees aged 40+. DHA Unified Health Programme contract: AED 800–1,200 per employee cardiac screening package.
• Emirates Group (Emirates Airlines and dnata): CAA-mandated ECG for commercial pilots, with additional cardiac clearance protocols for pilots over 40 at Class 1 AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) certified DHA facilities. Volume: approximately 5,000 pilot cardiac assessments per year at AED 500–1,500 per assessment.

Cost Breakdown: AED 500,000–5,000,000 Cardiology Facility Setup

Cost Item	Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinic (AED)	Full Cardiac Centre with Cath Lab (AED)
Fit-out & Construction	100,000 – 200,000	500,000 – 1,500,000
Cath Lab System	—	2,000,000 – 4,000,000
Echo + Cardiac CT/MRI	200,000 – 500,000	1,500,000 – 3,500,000
DHA/FANR/MOHAP Licences	30,000 – 60,000	100,000 – 250,000
MOHAP Device Registrations	15,000 – 30,000	80,000 – 200,000
Specialist Staffing (12 months)	400,000 – 800,000	2,000,000 – 4,000,000
Total Estimated Range	745,000 – 1,590,000	6,180,000 – 13,450,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DHA sub-specialty endorsement process for interventional cardiology?

After obtaining base DHA Specialist Registration in Cardiology, the cardiologist must submit an Invasive Cardiology sub-specialty endorsement application through the Sheryan portal. Required documentation includes: case logs signed by the department head at training institutions (minimum 200 primary PCI and 300 total coronary interventions), complication and mortality data, letters confirming ACGME or equivalent fellowship completion, and a procedural competency assessment letter. DHA Credentials Committee reviews and approves sub-specialty endorsements within 30–60 days of complete submission.

Can a cardiology clinic in Dubai perform angioplasty without on-site cardiac surgery?

DHA permits elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at facilities without on-site cardiac surgery, provided the facility has a formal written cardiac surgery backup agreement with a DHA-licensed cardiac surgery centre reachable within 15 minutes. For primary PCI (emergency STEMI treatment), DHA mandates that a STEMI receiving centre must have defined transfer protocols to a cardiac surgery centre in the event of failed PCI or mechanical complication (e.g., coronary perforation). Non-compliant facilities cannot be designated as STEMI receiving centres by the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS).

What are the staffing requirements for a UAE cardiology cath lab?

DHA TES-2022 specifies minimum cath lab staffing per procedure list: 1 interventional cardiologist (DHA Specialist with Invasive Cardiology endorsement), 1 cardiac scrub technologist or cardiac catheterisation nurse (DHA Allied Health registered), 1 cath lab circulating nurse, and 1 FANR-registered Radiation Protection Supervisor (who may be the interventional cardiologist with FANR Medical Physics endorsement). For complex electrophysiology procedures (ablation), an additional cardiac electrophysiology technician is required.

How does DRG billing affect cardiology practice revenue in Abu Dhabi?

Under the Abu Dhabi Casemix System (ADCMS), cardiology procedures are reimbursed at bundled DRG rates that include the facility fee, nursing care, routine medications, and standard consumables. Implantable devices (stents, ICDs, pacemakers) are reimbursed separately as “pass-through” items. For high-volume cardiac centres (100+ PCIs per month), DRG reimbursement typically delivers higher predictability of revenue compared to fee-for-service, but requires robust clinical coding (ICD-10-AM and ACHI procedure codes) and a dedicated clinical coder team. Coding errors in cardiac DRG submissions can result in underpayment of AED 5,000–15,000 per case.

Is cardiac rehabilitation reimbursed by UAE insurance?

Yes. DHA Unified Fee Schedule covers cardiac rehabilitation sessions (CPT 93797: physician-supervised cardiac rehab) at AED 200–350 per session for up to 36 sessions per cardiac event (post-MI, post-CABG, post-PCI). Daman (Abu Dhabi) covers cardiac rehabilitation under the Daman Enhanced and Thiqa plans with similar session limits. As of DOH CCF-2022, all Abu Dhabi cardiac facilities must refer eligible patients to cardiac rehabilitation; non-referral is a recordable quality metric reviewed during DOH facility inspections.