Children's National Hospital expands partnership with Dubai Health, Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital to advance pediatric care
Earlier this month, leaders from Children's National visited the UAE to engage with the leadership teams at Dubai Health and Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital. This visit allowed for meaningful discussions about ongoing collaborative efforts and the introduction of Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Children's National, to Al Jalila's leadership team.
This week, Children's National hosted Dubai Health and Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital executives at the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus. During this visit, the two groups formalized the new partnership agreement.
"Together, we are deepening our shared commitment to advancing pediatric healthcare,” said Riley-Brown. "This collaboration is about more than just exchanging knowledge - it's about building sustainable, innovative solutions that will improve health outcomes for children, both in the UAE and globally. We want to ensure every child receives the highest quality of treatment, regardless of where they live.”
Children's National and Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital have worked together for eight years, partnering initiatives focused on technology, pediatric specialty training and quality and safety. The expanded partnership will build upon this work.
Key highlights include:
- Advanced technology collaboration: In 2018, Al Jalila and Children's National signed a health information technology (IT) agreement to equip Al Jalila with the use of customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Now both institutions will focus on optimizing health IT systems and enhancing patient care efficiency and data management. This includes expanding telehealth services, remote patient monitoring and improving access to specialized pediatric care.
- Enhanced training programs: In 2022, both institutions signed an agreement for educational and advisory services. In 2024, Children's National also supported Al Jalila in case reviews and provided training to cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) nurses, further enhancing clinical capabilities. Now, the partnership will incorporate more extensive training and education initiatives for healthcare professionals at Al Jalila Children's Hospital, the first dedicated pediatric facility in the UAE.
- Integration of quality improvement leadership training best practices: By leveraging the expertise of Children's National in quality training, Al Jalila Children's Hospital will integrate best practices and innovative care models into its services, ensuring the highest standards of medical treatment for children through continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care. In 2023, the first Quality Improvement Leadership Training (QuILT) cohort at Al Jalila was completed, showcasing significant advancements in quality training. Looking ahead, in 2025, Children's National will provide training to a second QuILT cohort at Al Jalila, further enhancing quality improvement efforts.
"We extend our gratitude to our partners at Children's National Hospital for their invaluable collaboration in strengthening this partnership. Through this alliance, we aim to deepen our knowledge of best practices through an evidence-based approach that supports our ongoing efforts to enhance patient care. This commitment aligns with Dubai Health's core value of putting the patient first at every step of the healthcare journey,” he added.
Dr. Mohammed Al Awadhi, deputy chief executive officer of Al Jalila Children's Hospital, added: "The strengthening of our partnership with Children's National Hospital will continue our work to elevate the standard of care for children in Dubai and beyond. Specifically, it will enable us to enhance operational efficiency and pediatric subspecialties, and training for our teams in line with our 'children-first promise' to ensure the best possible care for every child.”
See photos and video of the visit.
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About Children's National Hospital
Children's National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., was established in 1870 to help every child grow up stronger. Today, it is one of the top 10 children's hospitals in the nation and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children's National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. The Children's National Research & Innovation Campus opened in 2021, a first-of-its-kind pediatric hub dedicated to developing new and better ways to care for kids. Children's National has been designated three times in a row as a Magnet® hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children's National is home to the Children's National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels. As a non-profit, Children's National relies on generous donors to help ensure that every child receives the care they need.
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About Dubai Health
Dubai Health, the first integrated academic health system in Dubai, was established to elevate the standard of care and to advance health for humanity. Dubai Health comprises six hospitals, 26 ambulatory health centers, 20 medical fitness centers, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Al Jalila Foundation. Through the integration of care, learning, discovery, and giving, eleven thousand employees collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to put the patient first.
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