Sanford Health Looks Overseas in 2018

Sanford World Clinic now operates in nine countries in more than 30 locations with services that include primary and pediatric care, research, and health system operations.

Sanford Health will expand its international healthcare services to seven countries on four continents in 2018, the health system has announced.

"With these partnerships, we are creating unique opportunities for shared learning," said Kelby Krabbenhoft, president and CEO of Sanford Health. "This is not something we are pursuing for financial gain, but we believe this type of collaboration will help further our mission of health and healing."

This year, Sanford Health will enter New Zealand, Ireland, Vietnam, Costa Rica and South Africa and increase its presence in China and Ghana. Last year Sanford acquired a minority stake in Munich-based ISAR Klinikum, which provides clinical applications for stem cell therapies.

Sanford Health’s international healthcare arm, Sanford World Clinic, will now be in nine countries with more than 30 locations. Launched in 2007, the initiative supported by philanthropy and is designed to foster partnership with healthcare leaders in the development of sustainable services around the world.

"We want to go where we can be impactful and create partnerships that will stand the test of time," said Dan Blue, MD, executive vice president of Sanford World Clinic. "We have outstanding partners in each of these countries who share a common goal – to advance health care around the world."

Sanford World Clinic identifies three to five new partnerships each year. Each collaboration is different in terms of scope of service and type of agreement and range from primary and pediatric care to research and health system operations.

• New Zealand: Sanford and Omni Health Limited will open a general practice clinic in February, within Auckland’s Central Business District.

• Ireland: Sanford and Hermitage Medical Clinic will establish a clinical research office to extend precision oncology services through a clinical research protocol supported by Sanford Research in the United States.

• Costa Rica: Sanford is providing strategic and operational support to the fast-growing Hospital Metropolitano health system.

• Vietnam: Sanford is collaborating with Victoria Healthcare to support clinical and health care management education programs for Victoria physicians, nurses and staff.

• South Africa: Sanford is supporting the development of clinical research and educational programs in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders at Stellenbosch University and in partnership with a series of collaborators.

• Ghana: Sanford is continuing its partnership with the Ghanaian government to expand upon its current 23 clinics.

• China: Sanford will provide oncology support for the Ciming Health Checkup Group. This collaboration will be a remote physician-to-physician partnership.