UAE-based health insurance administrator IRIS Health Services received the ‘Innovation of the Year’ award at the 2018 Etisalat SMB Awards in Dubai yesterday, the only company in the insurance sector to be selected out of more than 300,000 small- and medium-sized businesses across sectors nationwide.

IRIS, which serves more than 350,000 insured members in the UAE alone in addition to its operations in Oman and the Far East, was also shortlisted in the Etisalat SMB Digital Transformation and Technology Disruptor categories.

The third-party health insurance administrator has a history of innovation: In 2015, it was behind the launch of Emirates IDs as universal health insurance cards. IRIS was also named ‘Most Innovative Service Provider’ at the 2018 MENA Insurance Awards and received the ‘Most Innovative Insurance Claims Software 2018’ award from business magazine International Finance in January.

Anil Nair, CEO of IRIS Health Services, said: “At Iris Health Services, we care about a healthier UAE, and we continually innovate what and how we do so that the individuals under our care, our clients, providers and partners have access to the best information.

“Our proprietary software platform, our free mobile app and other innovations help us deliver efficient, effective and considered medical care and contribute to the national and regional health ecosystem. Better health is an outcome we are invested in, and happy to invest in,” he added.

IRIS’ cutting-edge software platform Ezyclaim is considered a game changer for the health insurance claims sector, reducing fraud and misuse, improving real-time capabilities for physicians, hospitals and other providers, and boosting efficiency and transparency for insurance companies and regulators.

The IRIS mobile app is focused on individuals, providing ready access to their medical history, policy benefits and network, and empowering them to better manage their own health. Non-members also receive access to most of the app’s functionality, including maintaining health records, set medicine alerts and receive rewards.

IRIS is also the only health insurance service provider in the Gulf region to maintain the US CORE standard for patient confidentiality and data security in health data exchange.

The Etisalat SMB Awards were launched in 2018 to recognize and facilitate outstanding achievements among small and medium business (SMB) start-ups in the UAE, and to highlight the role SMBs play in economic growth, innovation and job creation in the country.

The Awards recognize individual and group performance across seven categories, including SMB of the Year, Positive Social Impact Award and Young Entrepreneur Award. The 2019 Etisalat SMB Awards ceremony were held last night.

For more information about IRIS, please visit www.iris.healthcare or follow the company on Twitter @irishealthae, Instagram @iris_health, LinkedIn or Facebook.