Chair, Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Middle East Community Steering Committee
DR TAMARA SUNBUL
Dr. Tamara Sunbul, MD, MBA, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, PMP, from Dhahran, has had a prominent career since starting at the Saudi Aramco Medical Organization (SAMSO) in 1994, after earning her MBBS in Medicine and Surgery. Early in her tenure, she took on leadership roles established the acclaimed Primary Care patient ownership program. Diving into medical informatics by 1996, she led various IT projects, showcasing her commitment to healthcare technology. Her dedication is further evidenced by her obtaining healthcare information and management certifications (CPHIMS) in 2011, completing a program in Leadership Strategies for IT in Healthcare at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in 2016, and earning her PMP accreditation, marking her as a leader in both medical and information technology fields. Dr. Sunbul's pivotal role unfolded in January 2018, orchestrating the seamless rollout of the Epic EHR across Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), enhancing clinical operations and physician integration. Her initiatives in 2019 led to the establishment of the Strategy and Risk Management office, advancing comprehensive planning, governance, and policy implementation aligned with the ISO 31000 Risk Management framework and EPMO standards. Her commitment to furthering her expertise in medical management culminated in earning an MBA from the University of Massachusetts, Isenberg School of Business, in 2023, in collaboration with the American Academy of Physician Leaders. At JHAH, Dr. Sunbul is instrumental in guiding healthcare IT innovation, holding leadership positions on the IT Steering and Utilization committees, and chairing the Data and Documentation Governance committee. Her involvement with HIMSS spans leading task forces and holding key roles in various communities. Under her stewardship, JHAH has embarked on a series of digital transformation projects, leading to prestigious achievements such as attaining the HIMSS Stage 7 Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) for both ambulatory and acute care settings, and securing the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Most Wired award at Level 9. These accomplishments highlight the organization's excellence in health IT and analytics, showcasing Dr. Sunbul's pivotal role in advancing healthcare technology. In 2022, Dr. Sunbul expanded her global presence by representing Saudi Arabia at the Global Digital Health Platform and serving there as the Evidence and Evaluation workstream chair, and by joining the International KLAS Advisory Board. Her international engagement grew in March 2023 with her involvement in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) group on digital healthcare and telemedicine, leading the development of a guide on digital transformation projects. This work emphasized her dedication to enhancing healthcare informatics and management worldwide. Her global healthcare innovation efforts continued in December 2023, with her appointment to the International Digital Health Workforce Development Association (ZIMAM) Board of Directors, further highlighting her influential role in advancing global healthcare technology. Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Sunbul has received numerous accolades for her leadership in healthcare, including being named a clinical leader in the 2021 HIMSS Future50 Class, winning the Arabian Business Saudi Women in Business Award in 2022, and the same award in the Healthcare category in 2023. She was also recognized as the 2022 ZIMAM/HIMSS Digital Health Leader of the Year. Renowned as an influential keynote speaker, Dr. Sunbul has featured at leading healthcare events such as HIMSS, HIMSS Europe, HIMSSAPAC, Leap, Arab Health, and the KLAS International Summit, showcasing her expertise and insights into healthcare innovation and digital transformation on a global stage.
