Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare has announced its historic expansion beyond the Saudi Aramco community, opening world-class medical facilities to the broader Saudi public for the first time. The move supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030’s healthcare transformation goals, introducing Centres of Excellence focused on oncology, cardiovascular medicine and other specialties that integrate screening, treatment and research into coordinated patient-centred models.
Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH) has opened its doors to the general public in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant shift in the Kingdom’s healthcare infrastructure. The Dhahran-based institution, established through a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Johns Hopkins Medicine in 2014, will now extend its clinical services beyond its traditional patient base for the first time.
The expansion aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, which prioritises preventive care, innovation and healthcare accessibility across the Kingdom. JHAH will leverage Johns Hopkins Medicine’s clinical standards whilst addressing regional healthcare needs through
specialised centres designed to elevate care delivery across multiple therapeutic areas.
Centres of Excellence to set clinical benchmarks
Central to the expansion is the rollout of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) that integrate clinical expertise, innovation and research into multidisciplinary care models. The first of these, the Oncology Centre of Excellence, was unveiled at the Global Health Exhibition 2025 in Riyadh. This centre will focus on breast, prostate and colorectal cancers, integrating screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and palliative care into a unified pathway.
“By extending access to the wider public, we are combining the best of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s global standards with our deep understanding of local needs,” said Dr Howard S. Podolsky, Chief Executive Officer of JHAH. “Our promise is clear: every patient deserves exceptional care, centred on their unique needs.”
Integrated care models and workforce development
JHAH’s service portfolio spans cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, women’s health, paediatrics, mental health, neurology and musculoskeletal care. The organisation has integrated remote medicine capabilities, hospital-at-home programmes and AI-powered
diagnostic systems into its clinical operations.
Beyond cardiovascular medicine, additional Centres of Excellence are planned to address evolving healthcare priorities across Saudi Arabia and the wider region. The institution continues to focus on precision medicine development and digital healthcare innovation whilst building a skilled national healthcare workforce.
“This is only the beginning of our journey,” said Dr Podolsky. “Today, we reaffirm our promise to the people of Saudi Arabia to provide access to globally recognised experts, to harness the power of innovation and research, to develop the next generation of medical professionals, and to ensure every patient receives care centred around their needs.”
