World-class Hospital to Open in Barbados to Serve Global Medical Tourism Market

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, July 6, 2011 -

- Site of Former St.
Joseph Hospital Attracts International
Healthcare Investment

Invest Barbados today announced that a new world-class hospital
will be built on the site of the former St. Joseph Hospital as part
of a long-term development program that will also bring several
specialty treatment centres, biotechnology research companies and
patient accommodation facilities to the country over the next five
years. 

“This exciting initiative brings a national asset back into
productive use in a way that will generate foreign exchange,
international investment and tax revenue,  as well as 
employment and skills training and technology transfer,” said Wayne
Kirton, the CEO of Invest Barbados. 

The project is being undertaken by American World Clinics
(”AWC”), a corporation that supports, arguably, the most respected
healthcare brand in the world–board-certified American
physicians–by providing them with a favorable practice environment
in which to provide the highest standard of medical care to an
international clientele.

“Our role is to support what is, we believe, the most respected
healthcare brand in the world–board-certified American
physicians–and we believe that Barbados has the quality of life,
educational facilities, and technological resources to enable us to
achieve our strategic goals as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Paul
Angelchik, a plastic surgeon from Phoenix, Arizona and CEO of
AWC. 

“We have been particularly impressed by the prudence and
sophistication that the Government of Barbados has demonstrated in
considering our proposal,” added Robert Priddy, an experienced
healthcare executive and AWC President. “We intend to work with its
officials closely in the years ahead to meet the interests not only
of our physician-members, but also of the people of Barbados.”

Registered as a Barbadian corporation, American World Clinics
expects to attract investors from the United States, Canada and the
United Kingdom who are interested in the potential of medical
tourism. The primary market for AWC’s hospital and care services
and facilities in Barbados will be patients from the UK and North
America, but treatment will also be available to Barbadians and
other international clients seeking private medical and surgical
care.

The project will bring numerous benefits to Barbados, Mr. Kirton
explained.  The estimated construction and equipment cost of
the first phase of foreign investment is approximately BDS$92
million, providing jobs for about 200 Barbadians.

Once operations begin, approximately 230 persons will be
employed at the facility in a range of job categories. AWC has
pledged to hire locally whenever possible.

The development will generate the equivalent of BDS$200 million
per year in foreign exchange during its first few years, according
to conservative estimates, with that figure rising steadily over
the longer term.

“Of equal importance for the future of our country,” said
Barbados’ Minister of Health, the Hon. Donville Inniss, “is the
opportunity for Barbadian healthcare professionals to work
alongside leading US surgeons in employing the latest medical
techniques and equipment to improve patient outcomes.

“While medical care will primarily be provided U.S. physicians
and healthcare specialists, Barbadian professionals will be able to
collaborate with them on a daily basis in working with patients.
These professional partnerships, as well as the introduction of new
research and specialty care facilities to our infrastructure, will
provide significant benefits in terms of both technology and skills
transfer.”

He added that AWC will work with public health officials to
ensure that the facility’s operations will not have a negative
impact on the number of local healthcare professionals available to
serve Barbadians’ need.

In addition, Mr. Kirton pointed out that the estimated tourism
value of patient visits will be in excess of BDS$50 million per
year for accommodation, food and beverages, taxi services, car
hires and other related goods and services.

AWC’s initial hospital facility will offer a wide range of
services - urologic surgery, orthopedic surgery, bariatric surgery,
ENT surgery, general and gynecologic surgery, ophthalmic surgery,
dental surgery, plastic surgery, dermatological treatment and
medical research. Specialty centers for neuroscience, cardiology
and oncology will be developed in conjunction with the main AWC
hospital facility.

The main facility will include:

• 12 operating rooms
• 50 inpatient/overnight beds capable of swing capacity to
  support critical care needs
• 20 outpatient, pre- and post-operative exam rooms
• A separate cosmetic dentistry area
• Diagnostics, radiology and laboratory facilities
• A wellness, spa and recuperative component.

Over the next five years, as part of the program, branches of
internationally known specialty treatment centres from the United
States, as well as several medical equipment and biotechnology
research companies are expected to open. Patient and family
accommodation facilities will also be developed.

It is expected that the hospital will be accredited by the Joint
Commission International, which provides the gold standard in
healthcare accreditation services to hospitals around the
world. 

In return for AWC’s construction and operation of the facility,
the Government of Barbados will lease the property for a period of
25 years, with an option to renew for a further 25 years.

In order to meet international hospital construction and design
standards required for accreditation, AWC’s advisors have
determined that none of the existing structures on the St. Joseph
hospital site are suitable for use, so that the project will
require substantial greenfield construction and capital investment
prior to the start of operations, and will be subject to Barbados
Town and Country Planning and environmental planning guidance and
approval.

About Invest Barbados
Invest Barbados (IB) is an economic development agency of the
Government of Barbados. IB is responsible for attracting, winning
and sustaining investment for Barbados. The agency is also
responsible for promoting the export of indigenous services and
goods while managing and developing the Barbados business
brand.

About American World Clinics
American World Clinics (AWC) develops innovative medical facilities
targeting the growing international medical travel market. 
AWC-Barbados, the organization’s first clinic, will provide quality
clinical services, delivered by U.S.-trained physicians and
international doctors with equivalent training and
certification.

The quality of patient care offered at AWC-Barbados will meet or
exceed the standard of care in the U.S., and its facilities and
processes will meet the highest accreditation standards. AWC’s
operating model, designed by physicians for physicians, aims to
create an environment in which patients receive exceptional,
personalized care from doctors are able to devote full attention to
their patients and the practice of medicine.  The AWC-Barbados
clinic is expected to open in mid-2013.

For further information:

or to arrange for an interview with a spokesperson for Invest
Barbados or American World Clinics, please contact:

Karen Nussbaum
Mansfield Communications
225 Richmond Street West, Suite 302
Toronto ON M5V 1W2
+1-416-301-3193 
karen@mcipr.com

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