BEIRUT: The American University of Beirut’s Medical Center will compete with “the best academic medical centers in the West” as part of a development and expansion plan to be met by 2020.
Mohammad Sayegh, AUB’s vice president for medical affairs and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, outlined the AUBMC’s 2020 vision plan – which aims at preserving the center’s leadering role in the fields of health care, education and research at the local and regional level – at a news conference Wednesday.
“AUBMC’s goal is to compete with the best academic medical centers in the West,” Sayegh said.
Sayegh discussed the center’s ambitious scheme, which includes plans for expansion, recruitment, and the establishment of new research centers and partnerships.
Sayegh said that part of AUBMC’s 2020 vision involves the construction of the “AUB Medical Complex 2020,” which will transform the center from a 350-bed institution to a 600-bed medical complex.
AUB said the complex will also include a new adult hospital, and a new pediatric hospital, which will be one of the first in the Middle East, as well as expansions in existing services.
The vision also includes recruiting more faculty members and focusing on patient-centered care, while establishing new “Centers of Excellence” and “Specialized Clinical Services,” such as the Heart and Vascular Center and Multiple Sclerosis Center.
“AUBMC’s 2020 Vision is to be the leading academic medical center in Lebanon and the region by delivering excellence in patient-centered care, outstanding education, and innovative research,” Sayegh said.
AUB Provost Ahmad Dallal also presented AUBMC’s 2020 vision, focusing on innovation and leadership in education and research.
Dallal said the plan also covers curriculum restructuring in order to improve the education and training of future physicians, while ensuring that AUBMC “serves as a regional hub for research initiatives.
“As a leading academic medical center in the region, it is our goal to help address these [research] needs in order to provide more targeted care specific to our patient population.”
AUB’s president Peter Dorman said that AUBMC’s 2020 vision is a response “to the changing needs of medical education, medical practice and the people we serve,” adding that implementing the vision will benefit local communities, the local and national economy, as well as other institutions across the region.
Caretaker Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh, who attended the conference, said that the vision for AUBMC 2020 keeps up with international developments in health care, adding that the systematic cooperation between the Health Ministry and AUB benefits lower-income groups in Lebanon.