Transforming the learning and development landscape: Emirates Health Services

Owned and operated by the UAE Federal Government and headquartered in Dubai, EHS manages and runs hospitals, primary healthcare centres and public-health facilities across the country, offering a wide range of medical services. It has an extensive workforce of some 10,500 employees.  

Building on the experience from and lessons learned through the pandemic, EHS launched an L&D initiative called Maharati, meaning ‘my skills’ in Arabic, consisting of a comprehensive platform designed to enhance individual learning and organisational knowledge-sharing.  

What is the challenge?

Before implementing Maharati, EHS faced several significant challenges.  

• Workforce size and heterogeneity. Managing a large, diverse workforce with a wide range of specialties, disciplines and levels of expertise.
• Geographical dispersion. Ensuring consistent training and knowledge-sharing across more than 140 facilities, many operating 24/7.
• Dynamic industry. Keeping up with continuous updates and training needs in a rapidly evolving healthcare sector, highlighted especially during the pandemic.
• Financial efficiency. Implementing cost-effective L&D projects amid rising healthcare costs.
• Knowledge preservation. Preventing the loss of valuable tacit knowledge due to staff moves within EHS or the broader UAE healthcare sector.    

What are the objectives?

The Maharati initiative sought to:

• align individual learning with organisational goals by ensuring the personal learning needs of healthcare professionals are in sync with EHS’s strategic objectives
• serve a diverse workforce by providing tailored learning opportunities for a heterogeneous workforce spread across multiple locations
• enhance training accessibility by making learning resources available anytime, anywhere and from any device
• ensure up-to-date information by providing timely access to the latest healthcare knowledge without overwhelming users
• create an engaging learning environment by fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development
• achieve sustainability and cost efficiency by implementing a cost-effective and sustainable learning solution.

What did it do?

The initiative was structured around three main pillars.

1. People

• Development of in-house e-learning developers and knowledge-management professionals.
• Collaboration with internal, external and international subject matter experts to convert tacit knowledge into explicit, shareable formats.

2. Technology

• Adaptation of an open-source learning management system (LMS) to meet organisational needs.
• Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for personalised learning recommendations.
• Use of analytics and business intelligence tools to support individual learning and monitor progress.

3. Governance

• Alignment with ISO standards for knowledge management and L&D (ISO 10015, ISO 30401, ISO 21001 and ISO 29994), ensuring best practices and solid foundations for sustainable learning.

EHS implemented the following key actions:

• Developed a comprehensive LMS. Adapted an open-source LMS with significant customisations, including AI integration for personalised learning.
• Enhanced learning accessibility. Provided access to learning resources anytime, anywhere and from any device. 
• Facilitated knowledge sharing. Created knowledge repositories and e-library subscriptions to curate and share essential healthcare information.
• Engaged learners. Introduced features like AI-driven recommendations, personalised dashboards, badges and improved course taxonomy to enhance user engagement.
• Ensured quality and sustainability. Established robust quality-assurance processes and aligned with international standards for sustainable knowledge management.  

What outcomes have been achieved so far?

By addressing key challenges and leveraging innovative solutions, Maharati revolutionised the L&D landscape within EHS.  

• Training hours. Delivered over 1.6 million e-learning contact training hours and managed additional face-to-face training sessions, resulting in a total of more than 2.5 million contact training hours. 
• Financial savings. Exceeded US$8 million in savings since the project’s launch. 
• Learner satisfaction. Maintained high learner satisfaction rates (>90% annually). 
• Gender equality. Contributed significantly to gender equality in training, with training-hours distribution matching the staffing gender ratio.
• Environmental impact. Reduced CO₂ emissions by over 1.8 million kg, equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 450 households.

Key learnings

EHS learned several important lessons over the course of Maharati’s implementation:

1. Leadership support is crucial. Encouragement and buy-in from EHS leadership were essential for the initiative’s success. 
2. Innovation drives success. Leveraging existing resources and introducing new technologies like AI can notably enhance learning platforms. 
3. Discovering hidden talent. The initiative uncovered significant expertise within the organisation, especially in rural and semi-rural facilities.
4. Encouraging knowledge sharing. Providing the right support, infrastructure and recognition can greatly strengthen knowledge-sharing among experts.