Children's Mercy Signs Agreement with Saudi Arabia
Randall L. O'Donnell, PhD, President and CEO, signed the five-year agreement last week at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
Under the agreement, the institutions will exchange faculty and visiting scholars; conduct cooperative research; and co-author publications, documents and materials.
The Saudi agreement is similar to formal arrangements Children's Mercy has with China and Mexico; we also have educational exchange agreements with Panama and Malta.
"We are actively pursuing these types of international agreements because they support our hospital's strategic objectives to elevate our academic profile and deliver value," said Ivett Shah, Director of Children's Mercy International Services. "International agreements provide an opportunity to collaborate with medical professionals outside of the United States to enhance medical care and education. This sharing of expertise and knowledge can improve the health care of children all over the world."
Shah noted that many Children's Mercy physicians and other medical professionals already provide health care at an international level through lectures, conferences and physician observations. Many faculty members have international reputations for excellence and expertise in their fields, and the hospital has a diverse medical staff from other countries who collaborate with their colleagues overseas. The relationships being promoted also facilitate children coming here to get procedures and treatments not available in their home countries.
"All of these ties, both formal and informal, help boost the recognition and reputation of Children's Mercy, and also provide the potential to develop business opportunities outside of our traditional markets," says Shah.
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Randall L. O'Donnell, PhD, Children's Mercy President and CEO, (right) shakes hands with Saudi Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah after signing the five-year agreement for cooperation in health fields during a ceremony last week in Los Angeles.