With the UAE’s healthcare sector projected to grow at a compound annual rate of over 7.5% over the next five years, the spotlight is turning toward smarter financial governance and regulatory compliance. Rising demand, evolving tax policies, and tighter oversight by authorities are placing unprecedented pressure on healthcare providers to ensure robust internal controls and financial resilience.
In response, Swift Audit & Advisory, a UAE-based financial consultancy, is deepening its engagement with the healthcare industry. The firm is currently partnering with five of the country’s leading clinics and medical institutions, delivering bespoke solutions that help them streamline processes, manage risk, and remain fully compliant with complex tax, payroll, and operational regulations.
From navigating VAT exemptions on medical services to ensuring accurate payroll in line with MOHRE guidelines, healthcare providers face a maze of regulatory challenges. Swift steps in as a strategic partner, offering financial clarity and customized governance solutions to empower institutions to focus on patient care without compromising on compliance or profitability.
“At a time when healthcare providers are being called on to do more with less, internal audit is no longer optional—it’s essential,” said Arwa Naccho, Managing Partner at Swift. “We help clients uncover hidden risks, prevent revenue leakage, and build financial systems that are audit-ready and future-proof.”
Internal audit is at the core of Swift’s services. These audits reveal overlooked financial risks, inefficiencies, and compliance gaps – issues that, if left unchecked, can jeopardize both reputation and revenue. Common pain points identified through Swift’s internal audits include Unclaimed VAT exemptions, Payroll miscalculations, Revenue leakage, Non-compliance with DHA, MOHRE, and FTA regulations.
Through comprehensive internal audits and operational health checks, Swift helps healthcare providers tighten controls, improve reporting accuracy, and strengthen governance, ensuring their organizations are resilient and audit-ready.
Recognizing that no two healthcare providers are alike, Swift begins each engagement with a complete financial health check. This diagnostic phase informs the design of customized financial management plans covering VAT, tax compliance, payroll, and internal controls – always aligned with the client’s specific goals and operational realities.
Swift’s success lies in its structured yet adaptable methodology, which includes custom Internal Audit Programs to identify financial and operational risks, optimize performance, and ensure compliance. In addition, the company also provides VAT Compliance and Advisory services to validate exemption eligibility and align billing with UAE VAT regulations. Swift also offers Payroll Compliance Frameworks tailored to meet the operational structures of clinics and MOHRE requirements, as well as On-Demand Financial Advisory to help clients respond to regulatory changes, enhance reporting, and improve decision-making.
Swift Audit & Advisory recently helped a healthcare provider that was facing discrepancies in their financial records – specifically, their cash receipts were lower than expected, and they noticed revenue shortfalls. Upon performing an internal audit, we discovered that some staff members were applying unauthorized discounts to patient invoices. These discounts, which were meant for special cases or long-term patients, were being applied to every patient without approval. In some cases, staff members were even giving personal discounts to family and friends, pocketing the difference between the billed amount and the actual payment.
Swift helped the clinic by tightening discounting procedures, introducing a clear approval process for all discounts, setting limits on discount amounts, and ensuring that all discounts were documented and reviewed regularly. As a result, the clinic was able to stop the misuse of the discount policy, recover some lost revenue, and implement stronger financial controls to prevent future misuse.
Swift Audit & Advisory offers a comprehensive range of services tailored to the unique needs of the healthcare sector, including:
- Internal Audit and Risk Management
- Accounting and Bookkeeping
- VAT Compliance and Exemption Analysis
- Payroll and MOHRE Compliance
- External Audit Coordination
- Corporate Tax Registration and Filing
- Financial and Regulatory Advisory (FTA, DHA, MOHRE, etc.)
In line with the UAE’s vision for a world-class healthcare ecosystem, Swift is now expanding its Healthcare Risk and Compliance Programs. These include specialized training for leadership teams to strengthen financial governance and regulatory awareness across the sector. For more information on how Swift Audit & Advisory supports the UAE’s healthcare sector, visit www.swift-audit.com
