Hospitals in the Age of AI: The New Digital Front Door
Patients aren't Googling first anymore - AI is making the first referral.
Hello there,
In this edition we will explore how AI-Search is driving tech-savy patients and bring them close their hospitals & doctors.
📊 Regional AI Search Snapshot (UAE + GCC)
57% of patients in Dubai and Abu Dhabi now use AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity) before checking hospital websites.
44% of high-income expats use AI for hospital comparisons (fertility, cardiology, orthopedics).
39% of medical tourism searches from KSA, Kuwait, and Africa are now AI-generated.
31% of AI health prompts don’t cite a single UAE hospital — redirecting attention globally (US, India, Turkey).
👥 Patient Query Behaviors (AI Prompts)
Expats & Residents (25–45):
🔹 “Best maternity hospitals in Dubai with natural birth options.”
🔹 “Is Mediclinic or King’s College better for orthopedics?”
Medical Tourism (GCC + Africa):
🔹 “Top hospitals in UAE for heart surgery under $20k.”
🔹 “Dubai vs Turkey — which is better for IVF?”
Premium/Luxury Patients:
🔹 “VIP room packages in Abu Dhabi hospitals.”
🔹 “Best cosmetic surgery hospital in Dubai with UK-trained doctors.”
🌍 Regional Highlights
Dubai:
AI assistants are recommending US/UK hospitals over local brands due to structured content gaps.
Abu Dhabi:
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi dominates AI mentions for cardiology but loses to Turkey and India in price-based prompts.
KSA + Qatar Patients:
Rising prompts like “Best UAE hospital for IVF in Arabic” and “Top JCI cardiac centers in Dubai.”
Africa & CIS Markets:
AI-generated oncology and transplant queries often skip UAE hospitals altogether.
🏥 Hospital Playbook: Who’s Getting Cited in AI Search?
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi → high recall in cardiac care
Aster DM Healthcare → scattered citations in maternity and general medicine
Mediclinic Middle East → moderate mentions, weak specialty mapping
Saudi German Hospital → low visibility in AI vs Google search
Burjeel Hospital → strong local brand, minimal AI presence
King’s College Hospital London (Dubai) → losing to Indian & European hospitals in comparisons
💡 Insight: AI citations are now driving first consideration — even before website visits.
🔍 SearchScore Spotlight (Powered by Searchscore.AI)
Here’s where UAE hospitals currently stand:
✅ Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi → 76/100
✅ King’s College Dubai → 64/100
⚠️ Mediclinic → 52/100
⚠️ Aster DM → 47/100
❌ Saudi German & Burjeel → Under 40/100
Ready to discover your AI-Search Score?
Prove your brand’s AI search readiness. See how visible you are on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini and act on a tailored plan to climb the ranks.
Best,
Team SearchScore.AI