JHAH leaders awarded prestigious fellowships for groundbreaking domestic violence, COVID-19, and patient access initiatives

Two doctors from Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH) are the first clinicians in Saudi Arabia to be awarded fellowships by the UK’s Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management.

Two medical leaders at JHAH who launched groundbreaking initiatives to combat domestic abuse, fight COVID-19, and expand access to primary care services have been awarded prestigious fellowships.

Hanan Al Shaikh and Abdullah Al Mulla are the first clinicians in Saudi Arabia to be awarded fellowships by the UK’s Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM), which lauded their outstanding commitment to patient care.

Dr. Al Shaikh, Chair of the Women and Child’s Health Department and Chair of the Abuse Response Team at JHAH, was recognized by the FMLM for spearheading campaigns to educate and train clinicians and social workers to handle cases involving violence against women and children. She was also recognized for leading a COVID-19 quarantine program, boosting access to pediatric primary care services, and championing preventive healthcare.

Dr. Al Mulla, Head of Medical Services at JHAH Al-Hasa, was recognized for a project that transformed patient care at the Al-Hasa facility by expanding patient access to primary care, surgical, emergency room, and specialty clinic services. Among other initiatives, Dr. Al Mulla launched an industrial medicine outreach program that proactively measured the health of local Aramco employees to ensure they received treatment if they were found to be suffering from chronic disease.

Fellows of the FMLM are benchmarked against rigorous criteria as high-performing and effective leaders who are committed to excellence throughout the healthcare community.

Dr. Al Mulla and Dr. Al Shaikh were awarded their fellowships by Rich Withnall, CEO of the FMLM, who has served as Honorary Surgeon to Their Majesties Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III.

Prof. Withnall said: “Dr. Abdullah and Dr. Hanan are cornerstones of exceptional patient care. They have dedicated their lives to healing, compassion, and innovation. With tireless commitment, they have brought comfort to the sick, hope to the vulnerable, and strength to families. Their expertise has proved transformative, blending science and humanity to navigate complex medical challenges.

“Their dedication inspires trust and admiration. They not only treat illnesses but empower patients to lead healthier, fuller lives. FMLM is delighted to recognize and honor their invaluable service through the award of FMLM Fellowships.”

A revolution in patient care at JHAH Al-Hasa

Dr. Al Mulla and his team doubled primary care capacity at JHAH’s Al-Hasa facility, from 4,000 patients per month to 8,000 patients per month, while simultaneously raising the patient satisfaction rate from 83% to 91%. Opening hours were extended so patients could see doctors after work, and the availability of screening services for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers was expanded to 50% of the local population. Population health measures such as cancer screening are central to Saudi Arabia’s healthcare transformation goals under Vision 2030.

Dr. Al Mulla’s industrial medicine outreach program saw clinicians travel to local Aramco facilities to check workers’ blood pressure and weight, take their mental health scores via questionnaire, assess their sleep quality, and pinpoint smokers. The clinicians then provided anonymized reports to local Aramco management to inform them about the disease profiles of their staff, such as whether they had a higher-than-average diabetes risk. This allowed managers to take proactive measures to counter chronic disease, such as setting up an in-house gym or updating canteen menus.

Dr. Al Mulla and his team also increased the number of surgeries carried out at the Al-Hasa facility, from 40 per month to 120 per month. Further, the team overhauled operations in the facility’s emergency room to improve the patient experience and expanded the number of specialty clinics at the facility from six to 18. Employee initiatives such as a quarterly “lunch with the chair” and quarterly “lead and grow” workshops for managers helped to boost staff engagement from 3.7 to 4.18 out of 5.

“This is all about better serving the local patient population,” Dr. Al Mulla said. “It comes with challenges, like changing the culture of the service and attracting patients to use the service more. We’re very happy with the result.”

Fighting domestic abuse and COVID-19

In the depth of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Al Shaikh and her team opened a quarantine facility in a converted eight-floor hotel to care for more than 1,000 patients. Proactive safety measures implemented at the facility meant zero staff were infected with the coronavirus.

Dr. Al Shaikh and her team also developed standardized management pathways for domestic abuse cases, integrating screening tools into primary care and emergency departments to create a supportive environment for victims. Dr. Al Shaikh is a national, regional, and international speaker on violence against women and children, and an advocate for women’s leadership.

Further, Dr. Al Shaikh led a team that boosted access to pediatric primary care by implementing an enhanced appointment scheduling system that expanded monthly slot availability to 6,000, and extended opening hours to 7:00 p.m. As a result, patient satisfaction soared, from 63.5% to 90%, and unplanned visits fell from 43% to 29%.

Dr. Al Shaikh and her team have also championed preventive healthcare initiatives such as a Menopause Clinic to support the health of women over the age of 40; standardized asthma care that uses metered-dose inhalers instead of nebulizers; and advocacy for the use of the HPV vaccine for children. Dr. Al Shaikh was the first to introduce the HPV vaccine to the hospital.

Empowering JHAH’s clinical leaders from 2025 and beyond

The FMLM exists to elevate patient care across the world by raising standards in clinical leadership and promoting safe, compassionate, and effective health systems.

In 2025, in partnership with the FMLM, JHAH will launch a medical leadership development program for clinical directors, unit heads, and department chiefs. The program aims to empower senior JHAH decision-makers and equip them with the tools, strategies, and insights they need to lead with confidence and inspire excellence in others.