International Hospitals Group (IHG) is a highly experienced international healthcare company, providing healthcare consultancy, turnkey design and construction of new hospitals, medical equipping and the operation and management of healthcare facilities around the world. IHG is part of the International Group of companies a family owned business that has been engaged in several different business sectors on an international basis since 1964. For further information on International Group please see www.igroup.co.uk.
IHG has maintained offices in the United Kingdom since it was founded in 1978, however, it is a truly international company having successfully completed over 400 projects in more than 45 countries in both the private and public healthcare sectors. Our clients have included Governments, the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. Since its formation IHG has achieved sales exceeding £2 billion and has recruited and trained over 15,000 staff.
IHG delivers expertise for its clients in the following areas:
In addition IHG can combine all of the above to provide a “turnkey solution” for any hospital or healthcare facility anywhere in the world. This option provides the client with a fully comprehensive service from inception to completion thereby ensuring the shortest time for delivery and also minimising the risk of delays and cost increases. Following completion and commissioning IHG is able to provide operation and management services should these be required.
As an alternative to a “turnkey solution” IHG provides project management services supervising the design team, the contractors and suppliers, thereby ensuring that the most appropriate and cost effective design and project implementation is achieved.
Since it was founded IHG has enjoyed the support of the British Government and has the considerable benefit of having access to healthcare professionals from over 150 countries who have trained and worked in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). The NHS is he world’s largest healthcare organisation with an annual budget of over £120 billion.
Using this unique resource combined with our worldwide experience built up over many decades IHG delivers to each of our clients high quality sustainable healthcare solutions which are appropriate to a particular project and the country’s needs.
2.1 Feasibility Studies and other Advisory Services
Feasibility Studies are essential when planning any new project and form the basis and foundation for successful project implementation. IHG has extensive experience in the provision of feasibility studies and
business plans for private clients, health authorities and hospitals both internationally and in the UK and
it has developed a proven and robust methodology based on this experience. IHG has also completed a
wide range of international healthcare consultancy and advisory projects meeting its client’s specific needs. This has resulted in an impressive track record in the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare sectors for
Governments and private clients.
2.2 Functional Planning & Design
Converting the outline scope of services, as defined in a feasibility study, into a functional, safe, high quality and cost effective building design, appropriate to local needs, is a critical element of any project. This not
only requires an in-depth knowledge of medical and other healthcare services, building design, architecture,
mechanical and electrical and IT service provision but also a comprehensive understanding of how a hospital works on a day to day basis. IHG brings these functions together and combines them with specific local
requirements to ensure the hospital is suited to the environment in which it is constructed and is able to deliver high quality healthcare through cost effective low maintenance building solutions.
2.3 Construction and Project Management
The construction phase of the project requires skilful and experienced project management to ensure it is completed to the required standard on time and within budget. IHG can bring both UK and international
experience to the construction phase of the project, providing knowledge and capability in regard to
local building techniques and a sensitivity to local culture that enables efficient management of local sub contractors. The involvement of IHG throughout all phases of the project ensures the earliest delivery of
healthcare services by minimising the delays caused by gaps between each phase.
2.4 Medical Equipping
The identification and supply of appropriate medical equipment is a complex operation involving liaison with architects, structural engineers, M & E consultants, clinical staff and the project management team. IHG has many years experience providing this service and can bring financial benefit to the project through
its substantial purchasing power. IHG is totally manufacturer independent, which ensures that the most
appropriate value for money equipment is selected. Medical equipment input is necessary from the earliest
stage of design to ensure that the facility provides the correct building envelope and range of building services to satisfy all the requirements of basic and
sophisticated equipment.
2.5 Commissioning
Commissioning is perhaps the least well understood and conducted process in new healthcare projects.
Defined as ‘the process of bringing healthcare facilities to an operational status in a timely, effective and efficient manner’, commissioning involves almost every single aspect of the healthcare provision process.
IHG commissioning specialists have worked on many hospitals throughout the world and can bring a depth of experience to ensure a hospital is open to patients on time.
2.6 Operational Management and Training
The professional management of healthcare services is recognised as key to the success of all healthcare
projects. IHG has extensive hospital management expertise and can provide key managers, or key
management teams, to ensure the efficient, effective and financially sustainable operation of healthcare facilities. With valuable experience gained both in the public and private sectors IHG’s involvement with
operational management and training provides comfort to investors and lenders.
IHG has consistently managed the recruitment, training and development of local staff such that they are able to take over from IHG’s international management teams within a realistic and pragmatic timeframe. The recruitment of the most appropriate staff to both create and operate a hospital as well as implementing systems to ensure maximum retention and ongoing training is critical to the long term success of any healthcare project. IHG has decades of experience providing this service with over 15,000 staff recruited and trained by the company and its network of specialist high quality training providers.
2.7 Accreditation and Quality Assurance Programmes
IHG can deliver the appropriate Accreditation Institution and Quality Assurance Programme to any project around the world using its network of accreditation bodies, leading hospitals and highly qualified individuals engaged in ensuring that the appropriate standards are created and maintained for the benefit of IHG’s clients. IHG has its own Medical Advisory Board (MAB). The MAB is made up of leading management and clinical experts with wide experience in the UK and international healthcare sectors. The MAB provides a
unique resource and is available to support all IHG projects and clients to help them achieve their objectives.
2.8 Project Finance
IHG through its connections with International banks, funding agencies, non-governmental organisations, and export credit agencies is able to assist Clients in arranging project funding. IHG has a long relationship
with the Export Credits Guarantee Departments (ECGD), the UK’s official export credit agency. These
connections are often able to facilitate up to 100% funding for healthcare projects.

IHG was contracted to undertake a feasibility study for the Libyan European Hospital which had already been designed and partially constructed at the time of IHG’s appointment but was experiencing a funding shortfall.
The brief for IHG was to develop a full feasibility study irrespective of the planned design of the hospital and to suggest any design changes and / or phasing of opening to ensure that the financial returns remained robust. Following a period of local research in Libya and surrounding countries and an in depth consultation with the Client, IHG developed a detailed feasibility study with full financial schedules.
This study was duly presented by the Client to a range of international banks and funding institutions and after a period of due diligence and review the Client was able to secure funding to complete the construction of the facility.
IHG was appointed by Saudi German Hospitals (SGH) to undertake a feasibility study to evaluate the supply and demand factors affecting the market for private healthcare in Dubai. This study was undertaken against the background of SGH’s plan to develop a 315 bed facility in Dubai’s Healthcare City.
IHG undertook a detailed survey of existing competition, an analysis of predicted demand for healthcare services, epidemiological and socio-economic profiles, and a range of other analysis and research. A detailed study was submitted to the Client for comment and approval and subsequently a final report was published.
On the basis of this consultancy SGH proceeded with the development of the 315 bed hospital.
Examples of other Feasibility Studies undertaken include:
IHG was awarded a World Bank funded project to investigate the Outpatient Clinics and Emergency Department at Al-Bashir Hospital in Amman in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
he objective of this prestigious project was to examine the processes and work methods in use at the hospital and to subsequently propose operational improvements within the departments as well as recommending methods to improve the overall patient experience.
During the early stages of the project, it became clear that detailed utilisation information and activity statistics concerning the Outpatient Department in Al-Bashir Hospital were unavailable and it therefore became necessary for IHG to design and undertake a number of data collection exercises. IHG worked very closely with the Quality Department and Medical Records Department to obtain detailed information and statistics and undertook a significant amount of analysis.
The analysis also found many other issues that needed to be resolved in order to improve the service provided to patients. A further priority was to improve the working conditions and processes for consultant medical staff and other support staff involved in the outpatient process.
IHG produced over 80 major recommendations that were prioritised to enable the hospital and the Ministry of Health to focus valuable resource in key areas for maximum initial benefit. IHG also produced detailed improvement proposals, in some cases multiple improvement proposals relating to each of the 80 recommendations.
IHG was awarded a World Bank funded project to investigate the Outsourcing of non-Clinical Support Services at Tirana University Hospital Centre (TUHC) and advise the Albanian Ministry of Health on the expansion of the outsourcing programme at a further 16 District General Hospitals across the country.
The purpose of the project was to review the existing model of the outsourcing of catering and hotel services at TUHC including an assessment of the current structure of the existing contract for catering and hotel services.
It also included the analysis and development of a cost model relating to implementation of outsourcing hospital ancillary services throughout the regional hospitals in Albania. The project also required IHG to produce detailed analysis of the current structure of outsourcing food services, laundry and cleaning services at Tirana University Hospital Center (TUHC) including:
Using relevant international best practice, IHG was also required to produce an overall approach to guide the expansion of outsourcing to the other major hospitals in Albania. This approach defined
Using this approach, IHG produced a national framework for estimating the costs and benefits which are likely to be obtained from outsourcing the cleaning, laundry and catering services at the hospitals previously mentioned with the framework being built upon the experience at Tirana University.
Examples of other Advisory and Consultancy Projects undertaken include:
IHG undertook the initial feasibility study for this new 60 bed cardiac facility and following on from this were given the commission to develop the outline design.
The hospital is located on a large site sharing some support facilities with a larger general hospital to be co-located on the site.
IHG worked through the patient flows and functional adjacencies to determine the preferred options for the inpatient and outpatient services and relevant supporting accommodation.
A number of design options were considered and presented to the Client for review and comment such that the final design takes account of local building techniques, sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to building services provision and delivers an aesthetically pleasing design.
IHG was commissioned by Moorfields Eye Hospital to develop the workload profiles, activity estimates, functional content and outline design for a new surgical training centre to be built on the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital site in Accra, Ghana.
The project was initiated by Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK and IHG worked with clinicians in the UK and Ghana to develop the initial profiles and design concepts.
The final outline design incorporates sufficient space to allow the teaching element of the facility to be easily accommodated within normal working practices. The facility has been designed to allow for the expected large numbers of outpatients and additionally has capacity for further expansion of inpatient and operating facilities if required.
Examples of other Functional Planning and Design Projects undertaken:
IHG's contract includes the design, construction, equipping and commissioning of the hospital comprising of a Medical Block to house an Accident and Emergency Unit; an Imaging Department with MRI and CT; Operating Theatre Block with 3 operating theatres; an Intensive Care Unit with 12 beds; a Central Sterile Stores Department; an Out-Patients Department comprising of 11 consulting rooms; 4 paediatric consulting rooms; a Dental Suite; a Dispensary and a three-storey Ward Block providing facilities for Inpatients of 101 beds including VIP beds.
A separate Mortuary is included to provide an emergency relief as a temporary storage module for up to 50 bodies; delivery and collection area, 222 capacity chilled body storage, 5 bay autopsy room with observation gallery, histopathology area and preparation, washing and viewing rooms.
The contract also includes for all associated infrastructure as well as new entrances, signage, car parking and hard and soft landscaping and planning and a conversion of an existing building to provide a medical records storage and retrieval area; nurse training facility; a library and administration offices and facilities.
Having undertaken the initial market research, development of a medical and functional brief and initial site masterplanning IHG was appointed to project manage the design and construction of this 160 bed private hospital on the outskirts of Damascus.
The hospital is planned to be an international standard facility providing a range of outpatient and inpatient care including :
The full range of clinical and non clinical support services are also included as is nursing accommodation and a nurse training facility.
The project is sponsored by the prestigious Said Foundation and a key element of the facility is to provide services for patients on a charitable basis as well as on a fee for service basis.
Other Construction and Project Management contracts undertaken include:
IHG was appointed as medical equipment consultants for this 500 bed Cancer and General hospital.
IHG's responsibilities included the scheduling of medical equipment on a room by room basis, development of specifications for each item of equipment, service planning, and estimation of an equipment budget allowing for a phased development.
IHG worked closely with local clinicians and the local design team to establish the equipping requirements for the hospital specifically in regard to local conditions and practice in Bangladesh. Package documentation, bills and specifications were produced allowing the Client to obtain bids for equipment in the most efficient manner considering the supplier and maintenance base in country.
IHG undertook a technical due diligence project related to the acquisition of a Turkish Health Group by a major international investor. This included a condition survey and register of medical equipment installed in a number of hospitals.
A summary of equipment valuations and relative condition was produced for the Client allowing them to make an informed decision with regard to the asset values to incorporate into their business acquisition model.
On the basis of this consulting the acquisition went ahead successfully.
IHG was appointed to commission this 200 bed private hospital, the first of it's kind in Vietnam. IHG's responsibilities included completion of the medical equipping of the facility, development of policies and procedures, development of financial and purchasing systems, recruitment and training of local staff, and testing of the building and building systems prior to opening for patients.
In addition IHG developed a marketing plan and strategy to attract private patients to the facility. The hospital was opened on time and within budget.
IHG was appointed as turnkey contractor to develop this 240 bed regional hospital to serve the region of Brong Ahafo including the medical planning, design, construction, medical equipping, training and commissioning.
The involvement of IHG throughout the project allowed the commissioning of the new hospital to begin while the construction and equipping was still progressing. The commissioning involved preparation of the hospital for opening for patients including development of new policies and procedures and extensive staff training to familiarise them with the highly sophisticated medical equipment which had been provided.
"….I commend you (IHG) on the highest quality construction I have yet seen in Ghana…"
MINISTER OF HEALTH, THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA
IHG was awarded a five year contract to manage this recently refurbished 300 bed public hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health of Libya. IHG are responsible for the provision of expatriate management and clinical staff to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the facility.
The contract includes a substantial training element to develop the skills of local staff.
…. Her Majesty's Government fully supports IHG's bid and hope this will provide a basis for broadening co-operation and sharing expertise between our two countries within the healthcare sector
LORD DIGBY JONES, OF BIRMINGHAM KT, MINISTER FOR TRADE & INVESTMENT
IHG managed the new National Hospital in Abuja for a period of two years with a team of 7 key management personnel and a range of visiting consultants. Over the term of their management contract IHG reduced costs, increased revenues, improved efficiency and raised service delivery at the hospital.
This consultancy was won in international tender against 13 competitors.
"Supporting healthcare development throughout the Commonwealth is an important aim of our Government, I am therefore delighted that International Hospitals Group, as a leading British Healthcare company, has been awarded the contract to manage the National Hospital, Abuja. I have every confidence that International Hospitals Group will carry out its responsibilities in a professional manner"
JOHN PRESCOTT, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
For further information regarding IHG and its services please contact:
International Hospitals Group Limited
Penn House
22 Station Road
Gerrards Cross
Buckinghamshire
United Kingdom
SL9 8EL
Tel from the United Kingdom: 01753 895777
Tel from outside the United Kingdom: 44 1753 895777
Email:info@ihg.co.uk