Mubadala Healthcare, a business unit of Abu Dhabi government-owned Mubadala Development Company, has announced the structural completion of the Cleveland Clinic on the Sowwah island.

The Abu Dhabi hospital will be a bespoke extension of the US Cleveland Clinic model of care for the region. The 364-bed (expandable to 490-bed), multi-specialty facility will be organized into the five institutes of digestive disease, eye, heart & vascular, neurological, and respiratory & critical care, to offer an advanced range of tertiary/quaternary medical services.

This significant milestone follows the appointment of the main contractor, Sixco-Samsung Joint Venture (SISJV) by Development Manager Aldar Properties in March of last year, said a company statement.

The next phase of construction will see the transition of the 409,234 sq m structure through various complex MEP (mechanical electrical plumbing) installations and a multifaceted façade system.

The medical facility is due for completion and handover in the second quarter of 2013.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a key project in Mubadala’s strategy to stimulate Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector by establishing world-class healthcare facilities in the region and reversing the trend of patients going abroad for treatment.

Like its counterpart in the US, the hospital will be a physician-led medical facility served by North American board certified (or equivalent) medical professionals.

Preparations for the new hospital are progressing well across the board with a staff of 148 on the ground in Abu Dhabi, including a full leadership team and almost half of the physician institute chairs, said a senior official.

“Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will be an outstanding facility that brings the highest international standards of care to patients in this region,” remarked Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari, executive director, Mubadala Healthcare.

“I am delighted with the progress to date and look forward to seeing the hard work and dedication of all the teams reflected in the tremendous impact that this facility will have on our healthcare landscape,” he added