Saudi sterilization expert earns rare doctorate in Surgical Instrument Science and develops innovative digital systems for healthcare
Riyadh – KSA ,12,December,2025
Saudi healthcare expert Dr. Yaser Hassan Aoukal has been awarded a Doctorate in Surgical Instrument Science, Functions & Sterilization from Berkshire University in Colorado, USA, in a highly specialized and rare field that is directly linked to patient safety and the quality of sterilization practices in healthcare facilities.
The doctoral degree was granted following the successful defense of his dissertation entitled:
“Advanced Analytical Framework for Surgical Instrument Functions and Sterilization Protocols in Modern Healthcare Facilities.”
In his research, Dr. Aoukal developed an advanced analytical framework for the classification and functional use of surgical instruments, alongside evidence-based recommendations for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization protocols in modern hospitals and surgical centers, aligned with international best practices in patient safety.
In an official recognition letter, Berkshire University praised the scientific rigor of the dissertation and described it as a significant contribution to the development of surgical instrument science and sterilization systems, noting that Dr. Aoukal’s work represents a model of academic leadership and meaningful service to the healthcare sector.
Dr. Yaser Aoukal is regarded as one of the Saudi experts in medical sterilization, having worked for many years within the national healthcare system. He previously served as Head of the Sterilization Committee and is a founding member of the Saudi Society for Infection Control (SSIC).
He has also co-authored international and local publications in the fields of sterilization sciences and operating room management, and has trained and mentored many professionals working in Central Sterile Supply Departments (CSSD), operating rooms and dental clinics.
He is currently preparing to launch the first advanced Saudi textbook on surgical instruments and their functions, which is expected to become a key scientific and training reference in this specialty.
On the practical and innovation side, Dr. Aoukal has obtained official registration from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) for his invention:
“Electronic System for Tracking and Sterilizing Dental Instruments.”
This digital system enables full traceability of dental instruments from the moment they leave the sterilization unit, through clinical use, and back to reprocessing and storage, thereby enhancing patient safety, reducing human error, and providing end-to-end electronic documentation of each instrument’s life cycle.
He is also working on a second innovation under the title “Unified Electronic System for Clinical Department Orders and Archiving,” an integrated digital platform designed for primary healthcare centers.
The system connects multiple clinical departments—including sterilization, dentistry, laboratory, nursing, vaccination and pharmacy—within a single electronic model.
It standardizes item codes, streamlines ordering processes, documents the gap between requested and dispensed quantities, and creates monthly and annual electronic archives to support auditing and data-driven decision-making.
Experts note that the combination of a rare doctorate in surgical instrument science and sterilization, field-tested digital innovations, and scientific contributions as an author and trainer, makes Dr. Yaser Aoukal’s experience a promising Saudi model with the potential to expand regionally and globally—especially in light of global trends toward digital transformation and higher standards of quality and patient safety, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.
In a statement to CJ Global Newspaper , Dr. Aoukal said:
“This doctoral degree and these projects are not merely a personal achievement;
they represent a greater responsibility to better serve patients, support colleagues working in sterilization and surgery, and contribute to the strategic goals of Saudi Vision 2030 in the health sector.
On this occasion, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and highest appreciation to our wise leadership, represented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz – may Allah protect them – for their continuous support and attention to the health sector and to innovation in healthcare.
I also express my sincere thanks to His Excellency the Minister of Health, Mr. Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, for his ongoing support of development and innovation initiatives in the health sector, and to Dr. Hatem bin Ahmed Al-Omari, Chief Executive Officer of the Makkah Health Cluster – who was recognized among 40 influential leadership figures in the Saudi health sector – for his constant support of developmental initiatives within the healthcare system.
I am likewise grateful to the Innovation Department at the Makkah Health Cluster, represented by Ms. Samia Al-Rabghi, for their interest in the project and for recognizing it as one of the successful initiatives, and to the Director of Al-Zaher Primary Healthcare Center, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Sharif, and the Medical Director of the center, Dr. Shaimaa Al-Thubaiti, for their support and close collaboration in implementing this project at the center, as well as to all my colleagues in the center’s team for their continuous cooperation throughout the development and implementation phases.
I pray that this work is sincerely for the sake of Allah, and that we are all granted success in serving our country and its healthcare system.”
Dr. Aoukal continues to advance his innovative projects, with plans to implement and scale them more broadly within Saudi Arabia and beyond, while also working on their scientific and academic dissemination through specialized platforms in sterilization sciences, surgical instruments and digital health systems.
