Newswise — LOS ANGELES (Sept. 13, 2024) -- Heitham Hassoun, MD, chief executive of Cedars-Sinai International, will be awarded the 2024 International Healthcare Leadership Award by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL).

The significant award recognizes Hassoun’s contributions to global healthcare, visionary leadership and experience in international patient services, hospital partnerships and academic medicine.

“The International Healthcare Leadership Award celebrates leaders whose commitment, values, and contributions have significantly and positively impacted the provision of healthcare across international borders,” said Jill Schwieters, chair of the organization’s board of directors. “Dr. Hassoun’s strategic vision and commitment to collaborative, culturally attuned care for diverse patient populations at Cedars-Sinai and abroad embody these values.” 

Hassoun will be presented with the award during the NCHL 2024 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award Celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at the Field Museum in Chicago.

Hassoun joined Cedars-Sinai in 2018 as vice president and medical director of Cedars-Sinai International. He facilitated Cedars-Sinai’s first global partnership, The View Hospital in affiliation with Cedars-Sinai, located in Doha, Qatar. Hassoun has also led academic and strategic collaborations in China, Ecuador, Indonesia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. Hassoun has expanded Cedars-Sinai’s global footprint through regional offices in various countries, including China, Mexico, and Singapore, with additional offices in the planning stages.

“I am deeply honored to accept the 2024 NCHL International Healthcare Leadership Award. This recognition reflects the perseverance and dedication of the entire Cedars-Sinai International team, who tirelessly push for excellence in global healthcare,” Hassoun said. “Our collective efforts have successfully merged groundbreaking medical research with specialized care, establishing Cedars-Sinai as a leading healthcare destination for patients around the globe.”

In addition to leading Cedars-Sinai International, Hassoun is a professor of Surgery at Cedars-Sinai and is an active vascular and endovascular surgeon.

Hassoun serves on the Advisory Council of the United States Cooperative for International Patient Programs (USCIPP), a group of United States academic medical centers that work with international patients and hospitals, foreign governments, and other partners worldwide to improve global health and access to healthcare. Hassoun also recently joined the board of directors of Direct Relief, a leading institution in providing medical humanitarian aid to those in need across 88 countries and 55 U.S. states and territories.

“We congratulate Dr. Hassoun on his well-deserved award,” said Thomas M. Priselac, Cedars-Sinai president and chief executive officer. “His dedication, vision and his astute understanding of the growing global healthcare landscape have significantly contributed to Cedars-Sinai’s impact and provision of exceptional patient-oriented care globally.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Global Perspectives—and Beyond