Cedars-Sinai has long been known for groundbreaking scientific research and transformative patient care. Today, its pursuit of excellence encompasses a global strategy with cross-border collaborations and the launch of regional offices around the world. One thing remains constant in Cedars-Sinai’s approach to reshaping the medical landscape: its relentless focus on bringing high-quality healthcare closer to patients, wherever they may be.

“We see international patients from more than 100 countries each year,” said Benjamin Seo, Cedars-Sinai International’s director of Global Business Development. “Whether patients are coming to us from the Persian Gulf countries, Mexico, China or beyond, we want to support them on their care journey. Establishing a presence in their local communities enables us to provide a comprehensive continuum of care.”

To that end, Cedars-Sinai is broadening its reach with new and expanded offices in Singapore, Mexico City and other key locations. These offices boost our presence by offering easy-to-access resources for patients eager to benefit from Cedars-Sinai’s high-quality care.

“Our new offices support international patients in multiple ways, not only by connecting them with expert care providers at Cedars-Sinai and helping to coordinate their medical travel to Los Angeles, but also by adding some onsite video-visit capabilities that allow for remote consultations,” Seo said.

“Some patients might want a second opinion prior to traveling to the U.S., and through our video-visit services, those patients and their local doctors can seek expert advice and guidance from Cedars-Sinai physicians in the most efficient and convenient way possible.”

While global expansion of the Cedars-Sinai office footprint is well underway, Cedars-Sinai International also continues to strengthen the organization’s strategic collaborations with leading hospitals, governments and academic institutions around the world. New partnerships play a vital role in bringing Cedars-Sinai’s knowledge and care closer to those who need it, and they enable members of the Cedars-Sinai team to learn best practices from other health systems, as well.

On the research front, these collaborations can have a significant impact on healthcare delivery. In South Korea, physicians and scientists from Cedars-Sinai Cancer are teaming up with their counterparts at Seoul National University Hospital to enhance our understanding of breast cancer.

Physicians at Aspetar, the premier sports medicine hospital in Doha, Qatar, are working with Cedars-Sinai researchers to revolutionize our approach to orthobiologics—using stem cells for regenerative medicine. These cross-border initiatives accelerate the pace of innovation, bringing better treatments to patients wherever they may live.

As part of its emphasis on serving global constituents, Cedars-Sinai is also forging consulting agreements to help local institutions elevate their quality of care.

“Our faculty here are among the world’s best. Our administrators excel on the cutting-edge of hospital operations. We have a distinguished architectural team. Cedars-Sinai is well equipped to transfer critical knowledge and expertise to our partners overseas,” Seo said.

To that end, Cedars-Sinai is assisting Hospital de los Valles, the leading private hospital in Ecuador, as it pursues international accreditation and ramps up its capacity in treating cancer, heart disorders and gastrointestinal illnesses.

Eka Hospitals in Indonesia is poised for significant expansion, with plans to double its facilities in the next several years, and Cedars-Sinai is advising its leadership and staff in the area of emergency medicine.

In China, Cedars-Sinai has joined forces with Taikang Healthcare to develop Shenzhen Qianhai Taikang International Hospital in the city of Shenzhen, one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing cities.

“By training physicians and nurses in their countries, we empower them to provide quality healthcare so their patients receive the care they need,” Seo said.

For those patients who do travel to Los Angeles for care, Cedars-Sinai’s presence in their home communities means they may be able to continue their care locally, giving them the comfort of continuous care coordination when they get back home.

Since his arrival at Cedars-Sinai in 2018, Heitham Hassoun, MD, professor of Surgery and vice president and medical director of Cedars-Sinai International, has been a tireless advocate for the medical center’s international expansion and for extending the hand of collaboration wherever Cedars-Sinai goes.

“The goal is to create a global healthcare ecosystem that promotes care continuity and meets patients where they are,” Hassoun said. “By building these collaborations, we also advance the academic enterprise—bringing discoveries more quickly into the clinical setting. The more we grow, the better positioned we become to help patients everywhere live richer, fuller, healthier lives.”