Abu Dhabi: Known for housing the only multi-organ transplant programme in the UAE, the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is set to soon expand its advanced oncology treatment programme, a top hospital official said in the capital recently.

A new catheter-based technique for mitral valve repair has also begun to offer a minimally invasive surgical option to thousands of patients with heart valve conditions in the UAE, Dr Rakesh Suri, chief executive officer of the hospital, told Gulf News.

“When we opened the doors of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2015, we made a promise to the community that we would offer world-class health care closer to home, while developing the next generation of Emirati health care professionals. I’m proud to say that, in 2017, we delivered on that promise. It was a year that saw the hospital surpass new clinical, educational, research and innovation milestones,” Dr Suri said.

“This year has already seen us build on those accomplishments and we continue to take steps to ensure our patients can access our care when and where they need us,” he added.

Dr Suri was speaking following the launch of the tertiary hospital’s annual report for 2017, which recorded a total of 475,000 patient encounters during the year, including about 50,000 emergency room visits and 13,000 surgical visits. During the first six months of 2018, the facility has gone on to serve more than 278,000 patients, putting it on course to exceed the patient encounters it saw in 2017.

Last year also saw the hospital completing the first heart transplant in the country, which served as a foundation for the UAE’s first liver and lung transplants from deceased donors earlier this year. The 364-bed facility is part of Abu Dhabi Government-owned investment company Mubadala’s network of health care providers.

In an effort to increase access for patients, the hospital has recently opened its Al Ain branch. Dr Suri added that the facility in Abu Dhabi accepts most insurance packages, and urged patients to check with the hospital for treatment options, especially in light of the extension of its clinical hours into the evening.

The hospital’s statement also said that the continued growth of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi as a teaching hospital is particularly important to its future, and the future of the country’s health care sector. To that end, two classes of Emirati medical interns are already being trained.

“We expect to launch three innovation residency programmes for Emiratis in the near future,” Dr Suri said.