In addition to supporting clients, we prepare and analyse data that best serves their needs. As such we have identified some data gaps that would benefit any stakeholder in health care. We make this data available under a multi-client study model that makes this important information more accessible and affordable to those interested in investing in health care in the region.

Our multi-client studies can serve different decision-makers in health care such as policymakers, investors, insurance companies, and hospital systems. We believe that high-quality data can support high-stakes decisions that will impact the future of health care. By creating our own data and making it available to a few clients, information that is otherwise unavailable or unaffordable becomes accessible to support healthcare decision-making.

We currently have two ongoing studies. One using open-source data to create a standardized mortality index from cardiovascular disease in the region. The other using our own validated survey to create a comprehensive database about income, out-of-pocket costs, access to health care and delay in care.

We use open-source data from annual health reports in the Gulf region to create a standardized mortality index from cardiovascular disease. Given the growth in nosocomial disease in Gulf populations and lack of reliable mortality data, we created a dynamic index that will be updated annually to help decision-makers track the performance of the health sector with respect to the disease burden for their population.

Kicking off in Oman, this data set currently encompasses Muscat Governorate, with plans to expanding the study nationally to better serve all who wish to invest in healthcare in Oman. We would be delighted to expand this data set to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, especially with the right local partners who would be interested in creating this valuable information reliably.

This study includes 3,000 respondents in the Governorate of Muscat. We used a piloted and validated survey that was initially created by Dr. Sora Al Rowas in MA, USA. This was then translated, piloted, and validated in Muscat, Oman.Using HIPAA compliant software, trained data collectors approached respondents over 18 years old in Muscat governorate. Data collectors went to malls, beaches, natural gardens, markets and public streets between 8am and 10pm 7 days per week. Data collection officially started November 2022 and is still ongoing with plans to stop in February of 2023.

This survey provides the most comprehensive information about access to care, out of pocket costs, insurance information and delay in care in the region. It is also the first independent information about income by residential area that is available in the region.

Our survey questions include the following information:

Demographic information: Age, sex, location, education, income, area of residence Heal.

Insurance information: Presence or absence of insurance, type of insurance, where health insurance was purchased from and annual cost.

Health care utilization: Number of chronic conditions, number of prescriptions, number of visits to outpatient clinics in the past year, number of hospitalizations in the past year, reported health status.

Delay in care: Whether there was delay in health care, type of care delayed and reasons for delay in care. Delay in care was also assessed by asking if prescriptions were extended and reasons for doing so if applicable.

Out-of-pocket costs: Total expenditure on medications monthly, annual out-of-pocket costs and cost of health insurance if applicable.

​Travel for care: Whether the respondent traveled for care and type of care that caused travel in addition to desire to travel for care.

For non-residents: Information about whether they used the health care system was sought and if yes questions about the type of care, cost of care and experience of this care were prompted.

The results of our Access to Healthcare survey will be available from April 2023. Email us to be one of the first people to gain access to this comprehensive and unique data set or to know more about our study developing a standardized index benchmarking mortality from cardiovascular disease in the Gulf region.