From specialty conferences to flagship trade shows, Cedars-Sinai International’s activities continue to evolve around the globe. This year, Cedars-Sinai had its largest-ever presence at Arab Health, the premier healthcare event in the Middle East and second largest in the world. Across the continents and seas, Cedars-Sinai was a key participant in the Annual Congress of International Cardiology, known as CADECI, Latin America’s leading cardiology conference.

“Although these were different types of events, Arab Health 2023 and CADECI both showcased the rise of Cedars-Sinai as a global enterprise committed to bringing quality care to more people around the world,” says Heitham Hassoun, MD, vice president and medical director of Cedars-Sinai International. “They allowed Cedars-Sinai to meet potential collaborators, benefit from new ideas and network with like-minded entities.”

While healthcare institutions in Mexico have long been natural partners for Cedars-Sinai, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the rapid proliferation of virtual events, as well as remote consultations and cooperation. From collaboration in research, education and patient care to the growth of Telehealth, Cedars-Sinai has emerged as an increasingly important force for top quality care, with deepening ties throughout Mexico and the region.

Cedars-Sinai’s presence at CADECI, which attracts Latin America’s top cardiologists every year, was also an example of the medical center’s prominence in specialty care. Named No.1 in California and No.3 in the U.S. for Cardiology & Heart Surgery in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals 2022-2023" rankings, the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai boasts world-renowned specialists who are in demand as research partners, clinician and conference speakers.

Representing the institute, Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, Eugenio Cingolani, MD, and Hasan Jilaihawi, MD, headed to Guadalajara for CADECI in February. Marbán, the Mark Siegel Family Foundation Distinguished Professor and an authority on stem cell therapies for heart attack patients, presented on biological approaches to treating cardiac arrhythmias.

Cingolani, director of the Cardiogenetics Program and director of Preclinical Research for the Smidt Heart Institute, spoke about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as well as biological pacemakers. Reflecting Cedars-Sinai’s internationalism and diversity, both Marbán and Cingolani are fluent in Spanish, allowing them to speak to local colleagues and media in the area’s principal language during CADECI.

Jilaihawi, an interventional cardiologist with special interest and training in innovative heart imaging methods as well as complex, minimally invasive heart procedures, presented on transcatheter aortic valve replacements.

For all three of the Smidt Heart Institute’s experts, the ultimate goal is to reach more patients. To that end, they never forget that learning goes in both directions. “Opportunities like this allow us to spread Cedars-Sinai’s acumen beyond borders while also letting us learn from our colleagues in Mexico,” says Marbán. Jorge Goldberg, MD, a Cedars-Sinai International senior consultant for Mexico and Latin America, agrees: “Inviting Cedars-Sinai´s experts in Mexico represents an important opportunity of global collaboration, sharing research and experience on new approaches to treatments.”

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That same sentiment informed Cedars-Sinai’s presence at Arab Health 2023. But rather than focus on a medical specialty, the trade show was a platform for Cedars-Sinai to share more about its world-class care, global footprint and vision of placing more patients at the center of its activities. It provided an opportunity to meet with potential collaborators, nurture existing relationships and broaden the scope of its offerings through global expansion.

Read: Cedars-Sinai Extends Presence in the Middle East at Arab Health 2022 and Through Various Collaborations

Harry Sax, MD, who attended as part of Cedars-Sinai International’s delegation for the first time, was struck by the range of institutions and the variety of offerings on display. “There was tremendous energy and enthusiasm at Arab Health 2023, and Cedars-Sinai had prominent presence with a well-located booth space,” said Sax, who serves as associate dean for International Academic Programs. Cedars-Sinai was one of some 3,300 exhibitors from more than 76 countries exhibiting at Arab Health 2023 and further expanding their connections and their presence, including paths to collaboration in medical education, research and innovation. Decisionmakers from the healthcare sector from around the globe were present seeking networking opportunities.

“Cedars-Sinai’s booth generated a lot of interest and significant traffic,” says Sax, adding that local medical institutions were searching for collaborators to help them develop world-class medical centers. “Besides Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia appear on the cusp of developing state-of-the-art medical facilities both for their own populations and as destinations for regional patients searching for top-quality care,” says Sax.

“Saudi Arabia continues taking major steps in healthcare transformation as part of the 2030 vision, and that’s just one of the examples of healthcare growth we see in the region,” adds Hassoun. “Cedars-Sinai has much to offer in terms of our advanced knowledge and skills, and much to learn about how best to bring top quality care to new populations.”

There were also attendees from Bahrain, Egypt, Oman and Kuwait, signalling the expansion of the Middle East’s healthcare industry, which is estimated to be worth about $35 billion per year, with an annual growth rate of 7 percent. The growth of healthcare in the region is mirrored by the growth of the conference. Arab Health began as a small event decades ago, and is now one of the world’s healthcare trade shows, attracting some 100,000 participants this year.

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CADECI and Arab Health are both reminders that medicine transcends boundaries and can unify people across countries and cultures. “Healthcare is a universal need,” says Sax. Hassoun agrees, adding that a global outlook is built into Cedars-Sinai’s most fundamental values and mission: “Cedars-Sinai was founded to serve the needs of its community,” he says. “That community is global, and so are we.”