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Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is announcing two major collaborations with other health systems both domestic and abroad.
Cincinnati Children’s, which is the nation’s No. 1-ranked pediatric health system, is expanding its relationship globally with the United Arab Emirates.
The health system will be working with Abu Dhabi Health Services Co., the leading health care provider in the UAE. Abu Dhabi Health is a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest integrated health care network in the Middle East.
For the past decade, thousands of children from the UAE have received care from Cincinnati Children’s both in the U.S. and overseas. The UAE is the world's seventh-wealthiest country, according to Global Finance Magazine. The U.S. ranks 10th on the list, which was published in January 2024.
A spokesperson for Cincinnati Children’s said the $2.7 billion nonprofit has embarked on a six-month assessment, looking at the state of the current pediatric services in the UAE and its readiness toward achieving designation as a pediatric “center of excellence.”
“This collaboration will enhance our health care framework, enabling facilities to elevate their standards and enhance patient outcomes, crafting a healthier, brighter future for our youngest generation,” Shaista Asif, group chief executive officer of PureHealth, said in a news release. “We remain dedicated to advancing Abu Dhabi’s position as an international leader in specialized health care.”
Throughout the assessment, Cincinnati Children's clinicians and researchers will visit the UAE and work with providers there to assess medical and surgical specialties.
"We know that by working with (Abu Dhabi Health Services Co.) and PureHealth to share our knowledge and experience, we are creating a brighter future for children here and around the world," a Cincinnati spokesperson told me. "There is much we can learn from our collaboration in the UAE that will allow us to further deliver on our mission."
In addition to the health system’s new Middle Eastern collaboration, Cincinnati Children’s is also announcing an expanded partnership closer to home.
Cincinnati Children’s is teaming up with Akron Children’s to provide complex care in several medical specialties, including pediatric otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), hepatology (liver disease) and bone marrow transplant.
Members from both health systems will spend time on each campus as the organizations coordinate the delivery of specialty care for patients. A spokesperson for Cincinnati Children's said that medical specialties will also be made accessible via telemedicine clinics.
The two Ohio health systems have collaborated for more than 10 years to care for kidney transplant patients and now, through this latest partnership, Akron Children’s will be able to provide enhanced care for local patients in other specialties where Cincinnati Children’s excels, the health system said in a news release.
“We know how important the relationship is between a patient and their care team, and now our patients in ENT, hepatology and bone marrow transplant will have access to Cincinnati Children’s specialists at Akron Children’s locations,” Chris Gessner, Akron Children’s president and CEO, said.
Terms of the agreements made with PureHealth and Akron Children’s were not disclosed.
For decades, the health system has collaborated with health care organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad, sharing best practices, aligning on treatment protocols and advancing innovations based on the latest research.
According to Cincinnati Children’s, its collaborative approach not only enables the health system to attract and retain world-class talent to the Cincinnati region, but it also fosters continuous learning and groundbreaking discoveries that change the outcome for kids in Cincinnati and around the world.
“Collaboration is in our DNA,” Dr. Steve Davis, Cincinnati Children’s president and CEO, said in the release. “We believe that all children should have access to world-class care, close to their home, and we recognize that by sharing our depth of knowledge and experience through education and advocacy, while also learning from others, we are creating a brighter future for all children.”
Davis added that partnering with other networks beyond the region allows the health system to expand its reach and deepen its impact while furthering innovation.
“Together, we will reach more children in need and ultimately transform the landscape of pediatric health care,” Davis said. “Through these collaborations and countless others, we not only honor our commitment to the children and families we serve today, but also pave the way for a healthier future for generations to come.”
Earlier this year, Cincinnati Children’s announced a plan to expand its partnership with Parkview Health, based in Fort Wayne, Ind., with aspirations to build a new pediatric hospital in the area. In 2023, the health system opened a new facility in Centerville and broke ground on medical buildings in Union and Eastgate.
Cincinnati Children’s was recently recognized as one of America’s Most Innovative Companies by Fortune. Each year, families from all 50 states and dozens of countries travel to Cincinnati Children’s to receive care.
Cincinnati Children’s has more than 19,000 employees and operates hospital campuses in Avondale, College Hill and Liberty Township.
It ranks as the region’s largest health system and the second-largest employer behind Kroger.
Total expense
| Rank | Prior Rank | Business name (Prior rank) |
|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Cincinnati Children's Hospital |
2 | 2 | Christ Hospital |
3 | 3 | St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood |