American hospital in Georgia
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Wednesday, July 23
A press conference was held at the Tbilisi Marriot on July 22 regarding the construction of a $60 million American hospital. The event was attended by businessmen Mamuka Khazaradze and Kurt Conti, also by Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, and a doctor working in America Dimitri Tvildiani.
The hospital is supposed to be multi profile, with 150 beds (250 in the future). It will be located near Tbilisi Airport on 10 acres. The hospital will be finished in about 2 years.
“This location will allow the hospital to serve people from the high mountain regions and from neighboring countries,” Tvildiani stated.
According to the founders, The Council of Chief Academic Officers (JCAO) standards will be established in the hospital.
“We are going to invite licensed doctors, whom we have been training for the last 25 years in America and Europe. The number of employees will reach 400,” Tvildiani stated.
“We believe that the hospital will become a regional center. Georgians will no longer have to go abroad for medical treatment, as we will be able to receive patients from other regions and countries. This will encourage medical tourism in the country,” Khazaradze said.
“Georgia is a very attractive country for investments. It has an excellent location and enjoys a good business climate. The hospital will have some branches in the city as well, and we are also planning to build a hotel near the airport, so the people who will come to the country for treatment will have an opportunity to stay close by,” stated Conti, adding that the Conti Group will also establish its regional center in Georgia.
“Our ministry is very happy that such kind of hospital will be opened in the country. It was a well-planned and timely initiative, since through the reforming of the medical system lots of programs have been launched in the country. This means that treatment is this hospital will be available for everyone, no matter of the social status,” Kvirikashvili said.
According to Tvildiani, the hospital will also have an educational center.
“We want to support Georgian doctors to improve their skills and get licenses. Also we want to take Georgian medicine abroad, but for this first time they should be tested,” Tvildiani stated, noting that the hospital will install telemedicine so that the hospitals all over Georgia can get online consultations.
In the end, Khazaradze stated that all the doctors of the hospital would be shareholders as well. He did not provide any more details on the issue.
