​​Doha, State of Qatar - Jul 12, 2011 (PRN)

Sidra Medical and Research Center (Sidra) and Cerner have come together to build one of the most technologically advanced health care facilities in the Middle East.

Working with Cerner, Sidra will become the first hospital in Qatar, and one of very few in the Middle East, to have a fully integrated clinical information system, based on a foundation of international best practices and regulatory compliance support. The Cerner Millennium® platform will enable Sidra to store and communicate patient information among caregivers in all venues, enable clinical decision support, provide the foundation for research initiatives, and engage the patient consumers in their home.

Cerner's electronic health record (EHR) will be one of the foundations of the health technology implementation. The hospital will integrate 60 Cerner® solutions, encompassing clinical, technical, administrative and research functions to support clinicians and hospital staff in providing world-class patient care and research.

"Fully digital operations are a key component of our commitment to creating an ultra modern facility where clinicians are empowered to provide the highest possible quality of care," said Dan Bergin, Executive Project Director at Sidra. "Cerner's experience in the region and the quality of their solutions will enable Sidra Medical and Research Center to provide a world class standard of patient care, as well as the highest standard of medical education and biomedical research."

First announced in June 2004, Sidra Medical and Research Center represents the vision of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who are aiming to position Qatar as leaders in medical research, academic medical training, and health care in the Middle East. Sidra, the first academic medical center in the region, is being built at Qatar Foundation's 2,500-acre Education City campus. Initially, Sidra will have 400 beds available when it opens with built infrastructure to enable expansion to 550 beds in a subsequent phase.