Doha, 26 May, 2015: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has announced the opening of a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional office for Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI) in Doha, Qatar.

AAHCI is a member-based global body that works to enhance healthcare research, education and clinical services.

HMC's Managing Director and AAHCI Regional Ambassador, Hanan Al Kuwari, PhD, explained that the regional office will facilitate a step change in the way healthcare is delivered in the Middle East through pioneering new, innovative models designed to help narrow the gap between best practice and current practice.

She added that it will also strengthening HMC's and Qatar's ties to health, research and educational institutions across the region and the world.

"AAHCI membership is supporting our goal to translate clinical research into practice. By bringing together the best and brightest minds in the region to share experiences, leading practices and lessons learned, we are enriching our own academic health system and further advancing our commitment of providing each and every one of our patients with the best possible care," said Dr. Al-Kuwari.

In 2011, Qatar launched its Academic Health System (AHS). As a member of the world's first nation-wide academic health system, HMC is collaborating with seven other leading institutions in Qatar to unite clinical care, education and research. The eight partners working collaboratively in the AHS include HMC, Sidra Medical and Research Center, Weil Cornel Medical College-Qatar, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, College of the North Atlantic-Qatar, the Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar University and University of Calgary-Qatar.

Together, this integrated network is promoting high-quality healthcare, informed by world-class research and supported by leading educational programs that are training the next generation of Qatar's clinical and scientific leaders.

Professor Edward Hillhouse, Chief of Scientific, Faculty & Academic Affairs at HMC, and joint AAHCI Regional Ambassador, said the AAHCI MENA regional office will join together the region's leading experts in medicine, research and higher education and support productive collaborations that promote the identification, adoption and application of innovation and best practice.

"HMC's reputation for excellence in delivering on the health, education and research mission will allow us to champion the AAHCI model and concept in the MENA region. Together, we will establish the framework necessary to think and act as a cohesive organization dedicated to ensuring patients receive care that meets or exceeds international standards," Professor Hillhouse added.

Dr. Steven Wartman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAHCI, added that he is confident the MENA regional office will enable AAHCI members to connect more effectively with each other and assist in the further development of academic health science centers/systems in the region.   "Our members - no matter where in the world we visit - are bound to the common goal of bringing the academic missions of education and research into the best possible alignment with patient care. Through this alignment they are all markedly enhanced and serve as economic engines, helping to advance and apply knowledge locally, regionally and internationally to improve global health."

The AAHCI MENA regional office is one in a number of inaugural offices for AAHCI that are strategically placed around the globe. The regional office provides an on-the-ground administrative presence; better equipping AAHCI to promote activities and programs that benefit members by determining their specific interests, and facilitating regional networking opportunities, educational programs, exchange of best practices, data collection and analysis.

For more information about the AAHCI MENA regional office, visit aahcimena.hamad.qa.

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About AAHCI
The Association of Academic Health Centers International Middle East and North Africa (AAHCI MENA) Regional Office was established in 2015 and is located on Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) main campus in Doha, Qatar. The AAHCI MENA Regional Office represents the Association's MENA-based members, bringing together institutions that share the goal of advancing and applying knowledge to improve health at the population level, along with the vision of enhancing health and well-being worldwide.

The AAHCI MENA Regional Office serves as a bridge between the Association's international members, specifically those located in the MENA region, and its US-based presence. 

The AAHCI MENA Regional Office aims to promote activities, programs and interests among existing members while also recruiting new members from the region. The Office also provides valuable insight for AAHC, and AAHCI, on key issues and academic health challenges faced in the MENA region. 

About HMC
HMC has been the principal public healthcare provider in the state of Qatar for over three decades and is dedicated to delivering the safest, most effective and compassionate care to all patients.

HMC manages eight hospitals, incorporating five specialist hospitals and three community hospitals.  HMC also manages the National Ambulance Service as well as home and residential care, all accredited by Joint Commission International. While HMC continues to upgrade its facilities and services, it has also embarked on an ambitious expansion program, targeting the areas of need in our community.

HMC is leading the development of the region's first academic health system and is committed to building a legacy of healthcare expertise in Qatar. We collaborate with partners who are key experts in Qatar and beyond, including Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Partners Healthcare, Boston.

We are also the first hospital system in the Middle East to achieve institutional accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education - International (ACGME-I), which demonstrates excellence in the way medical graduates are trained through residency, internship and fellowship programs.

For more information please visit: www.hamad.qa or contact Noimot Olayiwola, Media Project Manager Tel: (00974) 44390945; Mobile: (00974) 55568709; Email: nolayiwola@hamad.qa

© Press Release 2015