RIYADH — The Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) has unveiled an ambitious expansion plan for the Riyadh-based Kingdom Hospital. The SR550-million project will be carried out on a plot of land acquired by the company recently on the southern side of the present hospital. “The expansion is in line with the company's strategic local investment strategy,” said Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company. The magnitude of the project reflects Kingdom Hospital's commitment to provide high quality care, combining clinical skills and cutting edge technologies, said a company statement. Talal Ibrahim Al-Maiman, Executive Director for Development and Domestic Investments at KHC, said: “Kingdom Hospital together with Consulting Clinics and Pharmacies is determined to maintain their leading position as a premiere health care provider locally and regionally. Our investment in the health sector will have rewarding returns to KHC's investors.” Dr. Fayez Takieddine, Executive Director, Kingdom Hospital and Consulting Clinics, said: “The expansion is in keeping with its mission of providing quality medical care and exceeding patient satisfaction. Kingdom Hospital will expand its varied services in coordination with leading medical centers of the world.” With growing demand for healthcare in Saudi Arabia over the next two decades, the new project is expected to increase patients' access to evidence-based healthcare with more than 1 million outpatient visits a year, the KHC statement said. “The project demonstrates a rethinking of the use of the physical and technological infrastructure and design to improve the patient's experience and to enable the hospital's clinical and administrative staff to work in an environment that exemplifies their professional and medical expertise,” it added. The project will be developed over the next three years with a total built-up area of 85,000 square meters. In addition to specialized outpatient clinics that can accommodate one million patient visits annually, the new expansion will add 150 private rooms for in-patients and state-of-the-art operating rooms and areas for day surgical procedures. With the expansion, the hospital's Emergency Department and Trauma Center will double in size to accommodate more than 100,000 visitors. Kingdom Hospital in northern Riyadh is one of the most advanced private hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Established in 2000, the hospital completed its first expansion in 2011 doubling its bed capacity and adding a heart center equipped with advanced facilities, a pediatric ward, a surgical ward and a special pavilion for patients who want healthcare services in a luxurious environment. It is accredited by the Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI). The hospital recently finalized a merger plan with Consulting Clinics (CC), which is located at the intersection of Takhassussi and Makkah roads. Established in 1986 by Dr. Mustafa Ghandour and Dr. Fayez Takieddine, CC started with only six consultants and four departments. Today, it boasts of over 40 consultants covering all medical fields and has over 150,000 registered patient files. “With the finalization of the merger, KH and CC will be offering advanced and specialized medical services that shall be announced in due course,” the KHC statement said. It also revealed a comprehensive plan to establish a network of medical centers throughout Riyadh with moves to start such services countrywide in the future. — SG
