Transforming healthcare: Faisal Al Nassar

Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group (HMG) is the largest private healthcare provider in the Middle East, renowned for its comprehensive medical services and state-of-the-art facilities.

Established in 1995, the group has grown to become a pivotal player in the region’s healthcare sector, operating more than 30 medical facilities and specialized clinics, supported by a team of over 24,000 administrative staff, physicians and nurses who provide exceptional care to over 10 million patients annually.

Best known for its use of advanced medical technologies, HMG has received more than 60 international and national awards over the years, consistently setting new benchmarks in medical excellence and patient experience while achieving strong financial performance.

One of the key contributors to this incredible success is Faisal Al Nassar, President and CEO of HMG, who has led the group for the past two years and is currently overseeing a period of rapid expansion.

“In 2024 alone, we opened five new facilities, and by the middle of 2025, we will be operating more than 4,000 beds,” he says. “This represents doubling our capacity in just three years, which is very challenging. So far we have achieved 70 percent of our goals, and there is more to come in the near future.”

Excellence in healthcare

Despite this significant growth, Al Nassar believes that long-term success depends on more than just capacity.

“Reaching the top is not difficult; the issue is being able to maintain that position,” he says. “I believe the key concept here is continuous improvement. If you want to stay ahead of the game and always be on top, you need to always be improving your processes from end to end.”

For Al Nassar, this means leveraging talent and innovation to identify opportunities both big and small.

“Our frontliners are a gold mine of innovation. This is why we have created our innovation hub, where we receive input from everyone and give them a chance to present their ideas,” he adds.

One idea that came from this process is an improved online check-in system that includes a patient’s insurance details. Once completed, patients do not need to visit the reception to check in; they simply head straight to the waiting area and wait for their number to be called, improving the patient experience and saving staff time.

“When you’re expanding like we are, you’re adding to your operational load, and if you don’t have the correct policies and procedures in place, things will not go in the right direction,” Al Nassar says.

“So you need a continuous improvement system to encourage automation and innovation. There are a huge number of opportunities where technology can be applied, and it’s something we are always thinking about.”

One of these opportunities is AI, which HMG is already using to assist medical professionals in their duties. For example, in 2023, HMG became the first private healthcare provider in Saudi Arabia to use AI technology to detect breast cancer.

Thanks to HMG’s investment in R&D, the group has developed a portfolio of 12 healthcare technology solutions for which it owns the intellectual property. The group aims to export these solutions to healthcare providers outside the region, helping transform healthcare worldwide.

“AI is providing amazing results when it comes to producing precise diagnoses and helping physicians spot issues,” Al Nassar says.

“If AI continues to advance at this speed, I think hospital treatment will not be the same going forward. Hospitals will definitely be there, but the way we provide care will be different.”

Given HMG’s ambitious expansion plans, the group has also reassessed its approach to talent acquisition and training.

“Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized that sourcing 70–80 percent of our talent from outside the country is not an optimal solution,” he adds. “As a result, we have established a new nursing college and have been improving our research center.

“Through these approaches, we have made sure that the human capital element will be taken care of from the launch of our new hospitals, which will be integrated with the latest technological advancements.”

Giving back to society

To support its operations and the wider healthcare industry, the group launched the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Journal in June 2019, a peer-to-peer open-access journal that publishes articles on important contributions in all areas of medicine and health professions, as well as evaluations of healthcare practice in different health sectors and geographical regions.

To incentivize research and submissions, the journal runs the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Excellence Award for Clinical Scientific Research, which offers six prizes for a total of US$400,000 presented to the best research papers submitted each year.

The group also takes pride in its role as a strategic partner and sponsor for a diverse range of major events and initiatives across the Kingdom. This includes organizing more than 80 wellness-focused events, supporting esteemed nonprofit organizations such as Ehtwaa and sponsoring prominent sporting events including the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Saudi Games, Club World Cup and the E-Sports World Cup.

Additionally, the group has served as a strategic partner for mega-events organized by the Future Investment Initiative, as well as other high-profile events hosted by the Public Investment Fund and Riyadh Season.

Other notable activities include sponsoring medical students as well as providing medical treatment to unprivileged people who cannot afford the services.

“ESG is something we take very seriously. Our ESG activities are not something we generate money out of; we do them as part of our social responsibility,” Al Nassar says.

Thanks to HMG’s commitment to excellence in healthcare, technology innovation and Al Nassar’s visionary leadership, the group is well-positioned to transform healthcare across the Middle East and beyond.

“Today, if you don’t invest in technology, manpower and improving the patient journey, you will not last for long, especially with growing competition,” he says.

“In the future, we may consider expanding beyond the Middle East, but for now, our focus is firmly on being the biggest quality healthcare provider in the region.”