​​The Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Vision Realization Office (VRO) in Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of the expression of interest (EoI) of its first public-private partnership (PPP) project valued at more than SR 250 million (US$ 66.57 million) over 10 years. The project to upgrade radiology and medical imaging services will eventually serve around 1 million beneficiaries through seven hospitals in Riyadh region and its catchment area and employ more than 470 clinical, technical and nursing staff. MOH will seek proposals from international suppliers who have successfully developed hospital operational and digital imaging infrastructure projects.

When completed, the PPP will establish the first teleradiography service interconnecting the hospitals through the project’s hub at the King Fahad Medical City. The service will enable radiological patient images to be easily shared among radiologists and physicians. It will also improve operational excellence by integrating the digital infrastructure in the selected hospitals’ radiology departments; and installing or upgrading their Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and electronic Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS).

The planned partnership will see increased investment in the selected hospital’s radiology and nuclear medicine departments. This will include both purchase and installation of new hardware and software solutions such as teleradiology and mobile radiology and improving the use and availability of existing resources.

Ultimately, the PPP will improve service to beneficiaries by increasing accessibility to radiology services through use of state-of-the-art equipment and better trained radiology staff who will be able to upgrade their skills through training and development programs supervised by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

The seven hospitals included in the planned PPP include three hospitals in Riyadh—King Fahad Medical City, Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulziz Hospital, and Al Yamamah Hospital; and King Khaled Hospital in Al Majmaa, Al Dawadmi Hospital, Al Zulfi Hospital, and Al Artawiya Hospital.

The interested teams can submit their proposals until July 01, 2019.