E-SICK LEAVE ATTESTATION Medical Committees Section

Ensure health care providers are aware of their duties when issuing sick leave certificates; Ensure Abu Dhabi Governmental entities, authorities and their employees receive accurate and timely attestation of sick leave certificates; Ensure compliance with the HAAD Standards for Establishing the Medical Committees Terms of Reference. Provide Health Authority Abu Dhabi with accurate, timely and comprehensive information that will inform future strategies to improve healthcare services in line with the Abu Dhabi Government Vision. Improve the transparency on regulatory requirements; Improve the process of sick leaves attestation – enhance access, save time and effort of concerned entities. Ensure consistency in applying rules for all concerned stakeholders Support quality decision making through access to international evidence based guidance for sick leave periods e-sick leave objectives

Short-Term Sick leave: Comprises of all types of sick leave reports issued for a period up to seven days, consecutive or otherwise. General Practitioner, Specialist and Consultant are authorized to issue the short term sick leaves. E-Status – if the sick leave period matches with the evidence based sick leave period standard and medical committee rules and regulation it will be Auto Approved. Short term sick leaves require Medical Committee attestation when the Cumulative Short-term sick leaves exceeding 21 days per annum. Human Recourses Departments at all Governmental Authorities should send a record of patient’s short term sick leaves that exceed 21 days per annum to the Medical committee through their own representative. Long – Term Sick leave: Comprises of all types of sick leave reports issued for a period greater than seven consecutive days. Specialist and consultant are authorized to issue long term sick leaves Exceptions allowed – General practitioner acting within area of expertise, scope of practice and privileges; is Authorized to issue sick leaves more than 7 days for few known cases e.g. chicken box and hepatitis ( A ) evidence that the case under consideration warrants long-term sick leave; period must be consistent with the international evidence based sick leave period standard. E-Status – Requires attestation by the Medical Committee. Sick leave types

e-sick leave process chart

Sick Leave Attestation Procedure How HAAD Processes Submissions Auto Approval (Short term sick leave ) The system displays a range within lower and optimum period of sick leave for each disease / illness. A Physician should determine the appropriate sick leave period based on the case concerned, and supportive clinical evidence. Physician prints certificate sign & stamp it and provide to patient On completing the submission on line, the system displays a message that the short- term sick leave is Auto Approved. Medical Committees Section at HAAD receives note and records of issuance Under review (Long term sick leave) The electronic system displays the lower period of sick leave. The physician has to decide the appropriate sick leave period based on the case concerned, and supportive clinical evidence. On completing the submission on line, the system displays a message that the sick leave is under review. Physician prints the request of sick leave attestation and provide to patient. This request is issued to inform the concerned HR section that the sick leave is subject to review and attestation by HAAD Medical Committee. Submission considered by the Medical Committee, whose members are expert consultant professionals. On completion of Medical Committee decision, the treating physician receives notification that Approval is complete, or requires further evidence. Receptionist then communicates with patient to collect the attested certificate.

1. Healthcare providers, including facilities and professionals, issuing sick leave reports must be licensed by HAAD; 2. The responsible treating physician must not issue a sick leave: Without the actual examination of the patient, For a condition or illness falling outside of his/her professional competence, scope of practice, privileges granted by the employing facility, For illness other than that observed and examined at consultation, Before the date of actual consultation, retrospectively or backdated. 3. All sick leave data should be recorded in patient’s files for auditing proposes. 4. HAAD licensed healthcare professional should use the HAAD Standard for Evidence Based Sick Leave period to determine the appropriate period of sick leave. Duties of Healthcare Providers

Evidence Based Sick Leave Periods Standard

e-Sick leave Auditing HAAD is monitoring submissions on an ongoing basis, and conducting targeted as well as ad hoc audits An audit plan was implemented from June 2011 to assess and assure compliance of health care facilities and professionals. The health care providers who deliberately issue false, misleading or inappropriate sick leave certificates may be subject to disciplinary and/or criminal actions.

HAAD Sick Leave Appeals Process Patient and HCPs have the right to appeal within 7 days against the Medical committee decision. Fees e-sick leave attestation is free of charge

Sick leave issued from Abroad and other Emirates Sick leaves issued by Healthcare providers from other Emirates or from Abroad are not attested electronically as these healthcare providers are not licensed by HAAD.