BAHRAIN SPECIALIST HOSPITAL: 

A New Experience in Healthcare in Bahrain  

Bahrain Specialist Hospital (BSH), the newly constructed BD 17 million seaside facility in Juffair, has opened its doors to the public.  The announcement was made during a press conference that was held at the hospital in October.  

During the press conference, Hamid Al-Zayani, BSH Managing Director, expressed his delight with the opening and said:  “Our dream is finally becoming a reality with the opening of our doors to the public, after the large investment, time and effort involved in putting this facility together.  The intensive research and the involvement of some of the world’s top specialists, have attributed to this newly constructed BD 17 million seaside facility in Juffair.”

"Our vision is to deliver world-class quality healthcare across all medical specialties, which are personalized to every patient we serve according to their individual needs, "he further explained by saying. "Bahrain Specialist Hospital will provide the private sector and expatriate patient population residing in Bahrain and neighbouring Gulf States with the highest quality care through leading medical professionals by utilizing the most modern procedures and technologies."

On his part, Dr. Coen Groenewald, BSH CEO, explained that the strength of the management of the hospital will play a vital role in its success.

"I am proud to say that BSH have succeeded in putting together a management team with extensive experience in healthcare management.  Not only have our top management been involved with hospital management over a number of years but also with the successful commissioning of several hospitals in the region as well as internationally.  They have vast experience and are well-educated in the latest management philosophies and are at the forefront of new developments in the healthcare industry, " explained Groenewald.

BSH has contracted with Netcare, which is the largest private hospital and doctor network in the Southern hemisphere, to assist with the commissioning of the hospital. South African-based Network Healthcare Holdings Limited (Netcare) is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) and has a market capitalization in excess of US$ 400 million and an annual revenue also exceeding US$ 400 million. “The Netcare group, the largest integrated private healthcare organization in Southern Africa, owns and manages 45 hospitals comprising 7,200 beds, 319 operating theatres, 61 specialized medical centres and is supported by 2,200 medical specialists. The group also owns and manages 53 Medicross Family Medical and Dental Centers. Collectively, medical facilities within the Netcare group care for over 4,8 million patients a year,” stated Groenewald.

Strict quality and safety procedures as well as training of the hospital’s team are also high on the management’s agenda according to Groenewald.  “It is one of our objectives to continuously improve the safety and quality of healthcare that we offer to our patients and have therefore adopted the internationally recognized policies and procedures of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This accreditation process will ensure continuous quality improvement of all our services.

“Training and career development is also part of our overall strategy and we have put systems in place to better the skills of our employees and to also give them the opportunity to develop to their full potential.  Bahrain Specialist Hospital will also endeavour to employ, train and develop Bahraini citizens as far as practically possible,” he concluded by saying.

On his part, Dr. Kassim Ardati, BSH Medical Director, shed some light on the strengths of the hospital’s medical team.  “Our core competence at BSH is the quality of medical excellence offered through specialists who excel at their job. We have headhunted most of the medical staff at BSH to ensure the best and most reliable healthcare services to the public.  Coupled with our highly qualified medical staff, our investment in the latest state of the art technology and the PACS system, unique to Bahrain, we are able to provide comprehensive and efficient service to all our patients.”

As for the services the hospital will offer, Ardati stressed that BSH will offer a comprehensive medical service to all its patients.  “BSH covers all types of healthcare to include more than ten medical specialties such as cardiology and dermatology to Gastroenterology and neurology.  A 24-hour emergency room is also available to care for urgent cases and a psychiatric service is available to those who seek advice as well as for the undertaking of social work.

“Our fully equipped laboratory enables us to conduct more than 95% of all tests internally. Outside testing is only used for the most unusual tests. All ordering and dispensing of medication and prescriptions is done online via our network, enabling fast service. A doctor can plug in what the patient needs at his desk, allowing the patient to pick it straight up from our internal pharmacy,” he explained.

BSH has the most up-to-date equipment existing in Bahrain; allowing for the improvement of quality of care of patients, and in turn, peace-of-mind. The investment in X-Ray equipment alone totalled BD 1 million.  The powerful new high-field open Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI Signa CV/I 1.5T, weighs 6.5 tonnes and is the first of its kind in Bahrain.  It allows doctors to scan patients three times faster than any other commercially viable open MRI system and is designed with a full range of advanced cardiac features.  Also, the newest GE 4D ultrasound revolutionary technology displays clinical images of the human body and allows one to see an updated image of the baby in ‘live action.’ This has a number of medical benefits including a better analysis of fetal development.

BSH is Bahrain’s first digital hospital. A fully automated information system ensures all customer files are available at the click of a button, allowing for more efficient service to be given to patients. The integrated network solution improves decision-making by providing crucial data quickly and efficiently.  

To learn more about the Bahrain Specialist Hospital, visit their web site at www.bsh.com.bh