HMC hosts 2nd MENA Regional Summit of the Association of Academic Health Centers International

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), in collaboration with the Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI), recently hosted the 2^nd AAHCI Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Summit. This high-profile event took place in Doha on 1 December 2016 and featured a cadre of local and international experts in the fields of clinical care, health professions education and research, which are all areas that are integral to academic health centers.

The meeting was inaugurated by Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health and Managing Director of HMC, who was instrumental in launching Qatar’s national academic health system in 2011. The 2^nd AAHCI MENA Regional Summit was supported by the World Innovation for Health Summit (WISH) which is a Qatar Foundation initiative.

Speaking at the event, H.E. Dr. Al Kuwari praised the achievements generated under HMC’s longstanding partnership with the AAHCI and reiterated HMC’s commitment to developing the academic health concept locally in Qatar as well as regionally.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to the ideals of academic health and in our desire to work closely with the AAHCI and other regional academic centers in the Middle East,” said H.E. Dr. Al Kuwari.  “The development of an integrated Academic Health System underpins our determination to meet the healthcare challenges of Qatar’s growing population and aligns with the aspiration of Qatar’s National Vision 2030.”

The AAHCI is a member-based organization founded in 2008 as a subsidiary to the US-based Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC). AAHCI is the only global organization representing the education, research and population health missions of fully developed and developing academic health centers, systems and networks.

“It has indeed been a privilege to work with Her Excellency, Hamad Medical Corporation, and our colleagues in the region,” said Dr. Steven A. Wartman, President and CEO of the Association of Academic Health Centers. “The progress that is being made is remarkable and I look forward to an exceptionally bright future.”

Since 2014, HMC has been the host of the AAHCI MENA Regional Office, one of several regional offices established to represent the Association’s international members and provide a framework for a coordinated and cohesive system-wide approach to addressing the needs of existing and new AACHI members.

The 2^nd AAHCI MENA meeting in Doha represented an important opportunity for academic health leaders to chart the direction of future collaborative health initiatives in the region and discuss local, regional and national health priorities.

“HMC’s approach to integrating clinical care, education and research is predicated on close collaboration between leading academic and research institutions, as well as healthcare providers.  To support our standing as one of the region’s leading Academic Medical Centers, it is essential that we partner with other clinical and academic centers of excellence to build on strong foundations for the advancement of new treatments and models of care that will help enhance patient care,” said Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Director of Medical Education at HMC.

To meet the healthcare challenges of Qatar’s growing population, HMC has led the development of an integrated Academic Health System designed to make a significant, positive impact upon patient care, health professions education and research. The Academic Health System (AHS) in Qatar – a first within the MENA region – is an active nationwide network that integrates research, education and clinical care to focus on improving patient care and the delivery of innovative healthcare solutions. The eight partners working collaboratively in the AHS include HMC, Sidra Medical and Research Center, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, College of the North Atlantic - Qatar, the Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar University and the University of Calgary in Qatar.