Doha, Monday Oct. 5, 2009
Qatar’s first medical simulation center is being planned by Sidra Medical and Research Center and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) at a joint workshop, starting today.
The center, which will allow clinicians and educators to practice their skills and techniques on the latest equipment in a simulated medical setting, will be one of the most advanced in the Middle East. It is envisaged that the center will be operational in late 2011.
The 3-day planning workshop will be facilitated by international experts in the field of medical simulation including Dr. Michael Seropian, President and CFO of SimHealth Consulting Services, Bonnie Driggers, CEO of SimHealth Consulting Services, Dr. Jose Pliego, Director of the Simulation Center at Scott and White in Temple, Texas, and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas A & M College of Medicine, and Dr. Paula Gubrud-Howe, Associate Dean for Academic Partnerships at Oregon Health Sciences University and the Oregon Statewide Director of Simulation. Dr. Jordan J. Cohen, a Sidra Medical and Research Center board member and President Emeritus of the AAMC, is a special invited guest.
The workshop will be attended by top executives, clinicians and education specialists from Sidra, Hamad Medical Corporation, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, College of the North Atlantic, University of Calgary, and Qatar University. The attendees represent various fields of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health including emergency medicine, anesthesia, cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, respiratory therapy, diagnostic imaging, pharmacy, and information technology.
The workshop will focus on joint planning between Sidra and HMC with the philosophy of "one program, two facilities", and to set local and regional priorities for simulation program and curriculum planning with input from the attendees.
Commenting on the advent of a simulation center, Sidra Executive Project Director Dan Bergin noted that this would provide a significant boost to medical training in Qatar. "Simulation centers can help Qatar achieve best practice in clinical education and will assist Sidra in providing the best health care", he said.
HMC Managing Director, Dr. Hanan al Kuwari said that the collaboration between Sidra and HMC would ultimately result in benefits to patients in Qatar. "We are honoured to be involved in developing the simulation center with Sidra and this represents an excellent example of partnerships leading the development of healthcare in the country".