Plans for a new, state-of-the-art American Mission Hospital (AMH) in Bahrain were revealed during an official visit by Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer.

AMH chief medical officer and chief executive officer Dr George Cheriyan presented the minister with plans to construct a new 100-bed hospital in the northwest of Bahrain.

The project will use traditional Middle East designs and aims to cater to the growing population for the next 50 to 100 years.

'It was the dream of the first Arabian mission pioneers to build a hospital that would provide quality, affordable healthcare for all seeking it,' said Dr Cheriyan.

'We are thrilled to be able to announce our plans to build a new hospital to continue that dream for another century.'

The new hospital aims to provide quality, affordable healthcare for residents in the Saar, Budaiya, Janabiya, A'ali and Riffa areas.

AMH will continue to function at its current site in Manama, while its Saar Medical and Dental Centre will also carry on as normal.

'We are focusing on having a wellness centre,' said Dr Cheriyan. Wellness and healing will be included in the design, as well as sustainable energy saving and recycling.

'We want to improve the philanthropic opportunities in healthcare and patient and staff satisfaction by reducing stress and increasing comfort. The hospital must be based on patient experience from the patient's arrival through to treatment and all the way to departure.'

Dr Cheriyan revealed other plans for the future of AMH, Bahrain's only non-profit and the first accredited hospital.

Plans include updating the hospital's information system and expanding additional surgical services, along with the expansion of the obstetrics and gynaecology services and neonatal care.

Students from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB) are rotating and training at AMH and there are plans to expand this for RCSI-MUB nursing students.

Meanwhile, the Australian Council for Healthcare Standards International, which accredits the hospital, will be conducting a full review next month.

Dr Al Hamer pledged the government's full support to AMH, during a visit that included the refurbished operating rooms and the recently introduced computed tomography scanner.

The refurbishment included installing a state-of-the-art air filtration system and new air-conditioning, plus a new computer system in the operating room to provide up-to-date medical information for surgeons and anaesthesiologists.

'Since 1903 AMH has been an excellent example of how non-profit healthcare can work with the government to provide comprehensive healthcare for all,' said Dr Al Hamer.-TradeArabia News Service