4th Surgical Annual Research Day (SARD)

4th Surgical Annual Research Day (SARD)
  • 26 February 2026
  • 07:00 AM to 4:00 PM
  • Sidra Medicine Main Auditorium and MS Live Events
Target Audience

Overview

The acronym SARD in Arabic means “narrating” and is meant to represent the exchange of information.

Now in its fourth year, Sidra Medicine’s Surgical Annual Research Day (SARD) 2026 is a multidisciplinary effort to share our work around clinical research.

Conference Objective

  • Describe the current status of research in pediatric surgical subspecialties locally and internationally.
  • Outline available resources for clinical research and quality improvement projects.
  • Explain the processes required to conduct research or a quality improvement project.
  • Appraise and evaluate the selected presented research and quality projects that have been conducted.
  • Create an annual gathering to allow the exchange of valuable information from research and quality projects in surgery.

Target Audience

  • Physicians
  • Nurses
  • Allied Health
  • Students /Trainees

Program Overview

Time Session Title/Topic Session-Specific Learning Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
07:00 – 08:00) Registration Registration
08:00 – 08:15

15 Minutes

Opening remarks

Dr. Mansour Ali / Dr. Noora

  • Identify the key event components and recall the purpose of the day’s agenda and thematic focus.
  • Explain Sidra Medicine’s progress and describe the current registry data available.
  • Relate past SARDS statistics and outcomes (themes, attendance, collaborations, presentations) to the event’s current objectives.
  • Compare trends from previous SARDS events to this year’s focus areas to identify patterns of improvement and collaboration.
  • Assess how the highlighted achievements and registry advancements reflect Sidra’s strategic direction and research impact.
  • Contribute to a sense of collective engagement by formulating informed questions or reflections leading up to the presentation of the Dr. Mike Levis Award.
08:15 – 08:35

20 Minutes

Keynote Lecture: “Health Economics in Surgery”

Speaker: Dr. Mohammed Fasihul Alam

Associate Professor of Public Health (Health Economics) – Qatar University

Moderator: Dr. Diyaa Rachdan

  • Understand the principles of health economics in surgery, including cost-effectiveness, value-based care, and decision-making in resource-constrained settings.
8:35 – 9:05

30 Minutes

Cost-Effectiveness in a healthcare setting

Speaker: Dr. Ali Humayun

Specialist, Health Policy & Strategy

Ministry of Public Health – Qatar

  • Understand how to apply cost-effectiveness in surgical settings.
  • Recognize the link between improved clinical outcomes and cost savings.
  • Learn strategies for integrating economic evaluation into QI project design.
9:05 – 10:05

60 Minutes

Research Presentation

Panel of Judges:

  • Tariq Abbas
  • Dr. Sonia Davila
  • Critically engage with and evaluate research findings presented during the discussion
10:05-10:20

15 Minutes

Coffee Break
10:20 – 10:45

25 Minutes

Applied health economics: Cost Implications of Magnet Ingestion in Children

 Speaker: Dr. Noora Al Shahwani

Attending Surgeon, General & Thoracic Surgery, Sidra Medicine

  • Examine key obstacles to applying health economic principles in surgical care.
  • Identify strategies for adapting best practices to the local context.
10:45 – 11:00

15 minutes

Towards Universal Health Coverage: An Overview of Key Health Financing Strategies for Equity and Efficiency

 Speaker: Dr. Ozcan Ozturk – Associate Professor for Applied Economics, HBKU

 Moderator: Dr. Taseer Din

  • Teach participants practical methods for sustainability and cost–utility analysis.
  • Demonstrate application in surgical research and quality projects.
11:00-11:15

15 minutes

Q&A Panel

Panel:

  1. Ali Humayun
  2. Noora Al Shahwani
  3. Mohammed Alam
  4. Ozcan Ozturk

Moderator: Dr. Hassan Baghazal

  • Analyze the role of health economics in surgical decision-making across cost-effectiveness, financing, and policy perspectives.
  • Evaluate the implications of applied health economics case studies, such as the cost burden of magnet ingestion in children, for prioritizing resource allocation and efficiency.
  • Synthesize insights from keynote and panel discussions to formulate context-specific strategies that promote equity and sustainability in surgical services within the Qatari healthcare system.
12:15 – 13:05

50 minutes

Lunch Break
13:05-13:35

30 minutes

Research and QI Poster presentation and discussions

 Panel of Judges:

  • Tariq Abbas
  • Abdelsalam Hegazy
  • Noora Al Shahwani
  • Understand the research methodologies used, evaluating the significance of the results, and identifying potential implications for clinical practice and future research
  • Participate in Q&A sessions and discussions related to the poster presentations
13:35 – 14:00

25 minutes

Panel Discussion: “Sidra OR: Is it a Revenue Center or a Cost-Center?”

Panelists:

  1. Santiago Vallasciani
  2. Wadha Al Mansoori – Operations
  3. Mohamed Hirsi – Finance Business Partner

 Moderator: Dr. Abdelsalam Hegazy

  • Analyze key challenges and opportunities in surgical health economics and policy.
  • Compare local and global perspectives on financing, resource allocation, and value-based care.
  • Explore practical steps for integrating economic thinking into surgical practice.
14:00 – 14:30

30 minutes

Sharper Care, Smarter Spending: Practical Health Economics in the outpatient setting

 Speaker : Ms. Stephanie Fortunat

Moderator: Dr. Farhan Ali

Panelist:

  1. Faisal Abdulkader
  2. Anish Nicolas Patel – Acting Director of Patient Access
  3. Judy Dawson-Jones – CNO, Nursing Services
  • Understand how economic considerations influence surgical practice and hospital purchasing decisions.
  • Identify strategies for surgeons to actively participate in cost management and value-based care.
  • Discuss current educational gaps and opportunities to enhance surgeon expertise in health economics.
  • Foster dialogue between clinical and administrative stakeholders for improved resource allocation.
14:30 – 15:00

30 Minutes

Surgical Clinical Trial: What can we learn from this journey?

 Speaker: Dr. Ian Pople

Division Chief – Neurosurgery, Sidra Medicine

  • Remember the key stages and methodological components involved in conducting a surgical clinical trial.
  • Understand the challenges and lessons learned throughout the clinical trial journey, including ethical, logistical, and data management aspects.
  • Apply trial design principles to evaluate potential improvements in future surgical research.
  • Analyze outcomes and decision-making processes to identify best practices that enhance trial quality and patient safety.
  • Evaluate the impact of collaborative research and evidence generation on surgical innovation and clinical practice.
  • Create strategies for integrating trial evidence into clinical pathways and institutional quality improvement initiatives.
15:00 – 15:10

10 Minutes

Coffee Break
15:10-15:30

20 Minutes

Innovation Lab

 Speaker: Maryam Nofal

Specialist – Technology Transfer & Innovation, Sidra Medicine

 Moderator: Dr. Mitchell Stotland

  • Remember the purpose, structure, and key functions of the Sidra Medicine Innovation Lab in advancing clinical and research innovation.
  • Understand how innovation processes, including idea incubation and technological prototyping, contribute to problem-solving in healthcare delivery and pediatric surgery.
  • Apply principles of innovation and translational research to propose practical solutions for identified clinical challenges.
  • Analyze examples of successful innovations to determine factors contributing to effective implementation and scalability.
  • Evaluate the potential impact of innovation lab outputs on patient outcomes, healthcare efficiency, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
15:30-16:00

30 minutes

Dr. Mike Levis Award for Best Research and QI Presentation

Our Doctors

Discover the specialty healthcare services that Sidra Medicine offers to women, children, and young people.

Children & Young People’s Services

Experience exceptional pediatric care at Sidra Medicine, delivered by a highly trained team.

Women’s Services

We believe women deserve exceptional, personalized care, delivered with compassion by our experienced team.