A MUCH-ACCLAIMED futuristic medical centre located in A’ali will become fully operational by the end of this month, equipped with state-of-the-art robotic surgery technology, a fully-automated pharmacy, a hospital-wide pneumatic tube system ... and so much more. The King Hamad American Mission Hospital (KHAMH) opened its doors to only outpatient appointments yesterday and will start offering inpatient services from March 26.Media representatives were given a special tour of the facilities, shaped like an X-chromosome, led by AMH chief executive and medical director Dr George Cheriyan and members of his senior team.With a total of 125 beds, the six-floor KHAMH complex with underground parking provides an extensive range of healthcare services.

Facilities include a world-leading intensive care unit, paediatric ward, obstetrics and gynaecology department, cosmetic surgery section, dialysis unit, imaging unit and laboratory.Futuristic technologies streamline the running of the medical centre, Dr Cheriyan explained, including a pneumatic tube system that transports samples to the laboratory from any of the hospital’s 40 nursing stations.In addition, a fully-automated pharmacy dispenses medication as soon as a physician submits a prescription into the hospital’s system.

The cutting-edge operating rooms, which are set up with the latest the medical field has to offer, are also equipped with robots that can assist surgeons in critical operations which require exceptional levels of precision.Dr Cheriyan added that all the food in the hospital will be transported to its intended destination by a special robot that delivers it from the kitchen.

Some additional high-tech features include contactless buttons on elevators, a solar panel energy system, and negative pressure rooms that are designed to stop the spread of airborne viruses and bacteria – advances stemming from experiences gained during the Covid-19 pandemic and in preparation for any potential global health emergency.Alongside technological advances, the design of the hospital has been crucially carried out to consider the needs of patients and healthcare staff alike.“All patient’s rooms have a view of the hospital’s rooftop gardens,” the doctor said. “Research has shown that greenery can positively play a part in helping patients recover faster.“We started building the hospital in September 2020, well into the pandemic and, despite the challenges encountered, here it is now,” Dr Cheriyan said.

“Sometimes you just need faith.”An adjacent building provides accommodation for hospital employees, with 64 fully-furnished apartments ready to be moved into.Meanwhile, the hospital’s fifth floor is dedicated to research and teaching medical students from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Bahrain and the American University of Bahrain. “Residencies and internships will begin in July,” Dr Cheriyan said.He noted that despite the new not-for-profit institution’s brand-new facilities, services cost the same as all AMH’s other facilities in Manama, Saar, Riffa and Amwaj IslandsIn January, the new hospital was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad.The date of the inauguration, January 26, coincided with the 120th anniversary of the founding of AMH in Manama on January 26, 1903.zainab@gdnmedia.bh

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