RIYADH: A health care technology and services trade mission is touring Saudi Arabia from April 23-27. The mission, organized by the US Department of Commerce, comprises 19 major US firms and hospitals with stops in Riyadh and Jeddah.

The mission's objective is to introduce American health care technology and services companies to the Kingdom, identify areas of cooperation, encourage public-private partnership programs, discuss the training and development of future Saudi health care professionals, as well as develop cooperation between Saudi and US information technology and health information systems.

Trade mission participants include American Medical Technologists, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Cerner Middle East, Cook Children’s Healthcare System, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Honeywell International Middle East Ltd., IMS Health, InterSystems, Kurt Salmon, MediSolv Inc., Medtronic, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Oracle Systems Ltd., Patient Education Institute, Philadelphia International Medicine, Stella Technology, University of California San Diego Health, and West Physics.

The health care mission participants will have direct meetings with major Saudi health care organizations and companies. In addition, the mission will be meeting with various Saudi stakeholders, including government officials to discuss greater cooperation between the public and private sectors, cooperation in developing training programs, and also to showcase the latest in health care and hospitals’ technology and trends that would be beneficial to the Kingdom as it continues to move forward in diversifying its economy and providing quality health care to its people.

The trade mission will be visiting Riyadh April 23-26, at the same time as the Saudi American Healthcare Forum (SAHF), which will also be held in Riyadh April 25-27.

Both the trade mission and the forum will present an opportunity for companies and health care professionals to understand the complexity and depth of collaboration between the United States and Saudi Arabia in the area of health care.

“The US and Saudi governments are closely collaborating in the areas of data sharing, research disease surveillance and infection control. Our two countries enjoy the exchange of subject matter experts, and joint training and leadership development to enhance our countries’ capacity to fight biological threats. I strongly encourage companies and health care professionals to participate in the Saudi American Healthcare Forum.

This is an ideal venue to network with decision-makers and representatives from cutting edge US and Saudi health care organizations,” said US Ambassador to the Kingdom Joseph Westphal.

American companies are strategically positioned to partner with Saudi counterparts in various areas, specifically in the provision of cutting edge health technologies, solutions, services and life sciences in general, he added.