Joint Commission International establishes Middle East office

The new office, located in the Dubai Healthcare City, will permit JCI to better support the needs of it's Middle East clients, and improve coordination of JCI quality and patient safety initiatives with other international agencies.
The launch event will see attendance from many key players in the health care industry and coincides with the convening of JCI's Middle East and Northern Africa Advisory Council meeting, which brings together key health care leaders from throughout the region to address issues impacting patient safety and quality of care.

JCI has ongoing projects in more than 80 countries around the world and provides services to over 33 organizations in the Middle East. As such, JCI works with international health care organizations, public health agencies, regional health ministries, governmental agencies and others to evaluate and improve the quality and safety of patient care in their nations.

"Our commitment to safe, high-quality health care has always been on a global level and the new office will help us participate and respond as a trusted partner in further advancing that mission within the Middle East community,"

says Karen H. Timmons, President and Chief Executive Officer, JCI.

Dr Derick Pasternak, MD, MBA, who has frequently visited the region over the past four years as a JCI Consultant, will serve as Managing Director of the new office. In his new role, Dr Pasternak will further the development of relationships with Middle East health care organizations and work with regional Ministries of Health, government agencies, NGOs, hospitals, laboratories, home care agencies and other health care organizations in their efforts to reduce risk and improve health outcomes.