First HME Showroom Premieres in United Arab Emirates

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Faced with demographics that mirror those in the rest of the world — people living longer, reduced hospital stays, reimbursement cutbacks — the United Arab Emirates seemed ripe for a full-fledged home medical equipment provider.

Now, it has one. Arabian Home Health Care, which opened Jan. 24, is the first retail home health care showroom in the country, officials say. “Our mission is not simply to sell the products, but to become the community resource for home health care information, education, products and services,” says Zeyad Al Moosa, a pharmacist who owns the company and serves as managing director.

Traditionally, HME has been available in the country only through pharmacies or hospitals. Quantities and selection have been severely limited. “A minority of drug stores carry a wheelchair, an elevated bath chair, a blood pressure monitor,” says Jack Evans of Malibu, Calif.-based Global Media Marketing, who served as a consultant to Moosa. So, he says, there has long been a need for a one-stop HME shop.

Toward that end, AHHC features a wide selection of mobility, respiratory, bath safety, mastectomy, fitness and physical therapy devices. It also carries compression hosiery and aids to daily living, as well as diabetes and diagnostic equipment and products geared to mothers and babies.

“People are really excited because they've never seen this array of product before,” Evans says. “[AHHC has] room sets so that people can see a bedroom, they can see a bathroom, they can see a kitchen and how the products work.” A pharmacy is also attached to the showroom.

Moosa, who has attended Medtrade in both Europe and the United States, is also ensuring that his staff is trained to demonstrate products, answer questions and provide information to customers. He has sent them to Elyria, Ohio, to be trained about Invacare's products and Apex Foot Health Industries has twice sent representatives from South Hackensack, N.J., to educate employees about foot care and diabetic shoes.

In all, Moosa is introducing the country to a whole new world of HME. “It was a big gamble for him because nothing like this exists,” says Evans.

It could be just the beginning.