Baraya Extended Care is reshaping Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system, addressing critical gaps in long-term care and rehabilitation with bold innovation and a scalable vision. Backed by TVM Capital Healthcare Partners, it integrates advanced technologies and strategic partnerships to redefine specialized care while aligning with Vision 2030. As CEO Jad Halaby remarks, “Success is built on passion, a strong plan, and a team driven by a shared purpose.”
What is Baraya Extended Care, and how was it established to address the healthcare needs in Saudi Arabia?
Baraya Extended Care is a comprehensive platform focused on providing long-term care, rehabilitation, and home healthcare services. As part of Afiyah Fund LP, a new fund launched by TVM Capital Healthcare Partners, Baraya draws on the legacy of successful portfolio companies like Cambridge Medical & Rehabilitation Center (CMRC) and ProVita International Medical Center, which were instrumental in addressing similar healthcare gaps in other countries in the region. These companies, now known as NMC ProVita, were successfully exited, demonstrating TVM’s ability to create sustainable healthcare models.
Baraya was established to address a significant shortfall in long-term care infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, identified as a critical need by the Ministry of Health (MOH) under the Vision 2030 initiative. Despite having over 80,,000 acute care hospital beds, the country lacks adequate long-term care and rehabilitation facilities, with an estimated gap of 15,000 to 25,000 beds. This deficit has resulted in inefficiencies, as long-term patients occupy acute care beds, consuming up to 25% of the total capacity and driving up healthcare costs. The MOH has introduced measures, including reducing the average length of stay in acute care hospitals to five days, to alleviate this strain. These efforts highlight the urgency of developing specialized facilities to ensure efficient resource allocation and meet the population’s evolving healthcare needs.
In its first phase, Baraya is constructing three state-of-the-art hospitals in Abha, Jeddah, and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, each with a capacity of 200 to 220 beds, totaling over 650 beds. These locations were chosen based on extensive market research and MOH guidance, prioritizing regions with significant service gaps. Complementing these hospitals with a network of outpatient rehabilitation clinics designed to provide a seamless continuum of care. Two clinics, operational in Riyadh and Jeddah for over a year, already support patients with tailored rehabilitation services while creating synergies with the upcoming hospitals.
The name “Baraya” originates from the Arabic word Al Bur’ “براء / “البرء , meaning healing after treatment, reflecting its mission to facilitate recovery and enhance quality of life for patients transitioning from acute care settings. Baraya’s phased approach ensures scalability, with the first hospital expected to become operational within a year, followed by the remaining hospitals in quick succession. This initiative represents a critical step toward addressing Saudi Arabia’s long-term care challenges, aligning with national healthcare goals and providing sustainable, high-quality care to communities across the Kingdom.
How does Baraya Extended Care navigate Saudi Arabia’s regulatory landscape and adapt to the specific needs of its healthcare market?
Baraya Extended Care thrives within Saudi Arabia’s increasingly supportive environment for foreign investment, a transformation underpinned by recent regulatory reforms. The Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) has been a critical partner, providing clear guidance and fostering a streamlined entry process. This collaboration has been instrumental in helping us navigate the regulatory framework effectively, ensuring compliance and facilitating our rapid development. Complementing this is the support from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Commerce, which play pivotal roles in granting approvals and aligning our operations with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 healthcare objectives.
This cohesive regulatory environment has enabled Baraya to achieve remarkable progress in a short time frame, with two hospitals under construction, two outpatient clinics already operational, and a third hospital set to commence construction imminently—all within 16 months of the company’s establishment.
Baraya differentiates itself by seamlessly integrating global clinical expertise with the specific needs of the Saudi healthcare system. Building on our prior collaborations with prestigious institutions, such as Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, we aim to deliver care that adheres to the highest international standards while tailoring our approach to local market dynamics. This involves aligning with MOH guidelines, such as nurse-to-patient and physician-to-patient ratios, and developing robust clinical protocols that account for cultural sensitivities and social expectations. Our ability to balance these elements ensures that our services are not only world-class but also deeply resonant with the communities we serve.
A key strength of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare ecosystem is its highly skilled workforce, many of whom pursue advanced education and training abroad before returning with a unique blend of global expertise and local understanding. Baraya’s model leverages this talent pool to create a dual advantage: meeting the population’s expectations for culturally attuned care while maintaining rigorous international quality standards. By fostering this synergy, Baraya is setting a new benchmark in long-term care and rehabilitation, addressing critical service gaps and contributing to the broader transformation of healthcare in the Kingdom.
How does Baraya Extended Care address staffing challenges and build a skilled workforce to support its growth in Saudi Arabia?
At Baraya Extended Care, our workforce is the cornerstone of our success, making talent acquisition and development a top priority. Saudi Arabia boasts a strong pool of highly qualified medical professionals, particularly in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and rehabilitation. This has enabled us to achieve over 75% Saudization in our current operational outpatient clinics, reflecting the availability of exceptional local talent.
Drawing on our past experience, including at the Cambridge Medical & Rehabilitation Center (CMRC), we have developed effective strategies to attract and retain skilled professionals while fostering a culture of excellence.
Despite this robust talent base, the global nursing shortage poses a significant challenge, one that requires a proactive and multifaceted approach. Baraya has adopted a dual strategy to attract top talent by recruiting graduates from leading Saudi universities and sourcing professionals from the local market while also engaging in international recruitment to address nursing shortages. This balanced approach ensures that we meet Saudization quotas while maintaining the quality of care that defines Baraya’s services.
Our ambitious growth trajectory, expanding from fewer than 100 employees to over 1,300 across three hospitals, requires more than just recruitment. We are committed to creating an environment where employees can thrive professionally, offering clear career pathways and opportunities for advancement. This focus on career development aligns with our strategy to attract motivated individuals who are not only highly skilled but also invested in growing alongside Baraya.
By integrating local expertise with international talent and prioritizing professional growth, Baraya Extended Care is building a sustainable workforce capable of delivering world-class long-term care and rehabilitation services. This approach ensures that we not only address current staffing needs but also lay the foundation for enduring success in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector.
What types of patients does Baraya Extended Care serve, and how does it address critical healthcare challenges in Saudi Arabia?
Baraya Extended Care provides specialized services in three key areas: long-term care, ventilated long-term care, and intensive rehabilitation. We are deeply aligned with the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, particularly in addressing the critical gaps in long-term care, ventilated care, and rehabilitation services—key pillars of the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) transformation agenda.
These services are tailored for patients requiring extended medical supervision, many of whom currently occupy acute care hospital beds not suited to their needs, creating inefficiencies and added costs for the healthcare system.
Long-term care focuses on medically stable patients who require 24/7 supervision due to chronic illnesses, genetic disorders, or recovery from serious accidents. These patients, spanning pediatric to elderly age groups, typically have an average stay of six months. Baraya’s facilities are purpose-built to support these individuals, emphasizing specialized care without emergency or surgical capabilities, ensuring an environment solely dedicated to ongoing medical management.
Ventilated long-term care serves patients dependent on ventilators due to respiratory conditions, genetic diseases, or trauma. These patients require constant or near-constant ventilator support and with an average length of stay of nine months. Currently, many such patients occupy acute care beds, burdening the healthcare system. Baraya alleviates this strain by offering specialized facilities where patients receive more cost-effective and tailored medical care, aligning with (MOH) priorities for efficiency and improved outcomes.
Intensive rehabilitation targets individuals recovering from strokes, musculoskeletal injuries, or congenital conditions. These patients benefit from four to six weeks of focused rehabilitation, enabling them to transition to outpatient care or resume their daily lives. This service not only enhances patient recovery but also reduces pressure on acute care hospitals, ensuring resources are better allocated.
Baraya’s operations are supported by MOH, which provides full reimbursement for Saudi citizens’ for such treatments in private healthcare facilities. This partnership exemplifies the collaborative approach between public and private sectors in addressing critical healthcare challenges. By bridging the gap in specialized care, Baraya is not only meeting the immediate needs but also contributing to the long-term sustainability and efficiency of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system.
How is Baraya Extended Care integrating innovation and digital technology to enhance its healthcare services?
Baraya Extended Care places innovation and digital technology at the core of its strategy, driving both operational efficiency and advanced therapeutic care. This dual focus enables us to deliver streamlined healthcare services while adopting cutting-edge tools that improve patient outcomes. On the operational side, Baraya is implementing advanced digital systems designed to optimize workflows, minimize administrative burdens, and enhance overall efficiency across its facilities. This includes initiatives aimed at reducing paperwork and streamlining resource management, enabling our teams to focus on delivering superior care. Such measures are essential for maintaining agility and maximizing the impact of our services within the healthcare ecosystem.
In terms of patient care, Baraya is committed to integrating the latest therapeutic technologies. A prime example is the robotic rehabilitation system deployed at our Jeddah clinic, which customizes treatment plans to meet the specific needs of individual patients. These technologies not only enhance recovery outcomes but also reflect our dedication to providing state-of-the-art care in extended care. As we expand, similar systems will be integrated across all facilities to ensure a consistent standard of excellence.
Clinical affiliations with globally recognized institutions further reinforce Baraya’s innovative approach. Building on the success of partnerships established with previous projects, we are finalizing new collaborations that will introduce world-class expertise and best practices into our operations. These alliances are central to our mission of maintaining leadership in advanced healthcare delivery.
In alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, Baraya is also embracing digital innovation to improve patient access and engagement. For instance, we are developing a powered digital call center that allows patients to schedule appointments at any time without human intervention. This initiative enhances convenience, eliminates waiting times, and offers a seamless user experience, exemplifying our commitment to leveraging technology for greater accessibility and efficiency.
Baraya’s holistic approach to innovation—combining operational advancements, therapeutic technologies, strategic partnerships, and digital solutions—ensures that we remain at the forefront of healthcare excellence. By embedding these elements into our model, Baraya not only enhances its services but also actively contributes to the digital transformation and modernization of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system.
What message would you share with international investors and healthcare leaders about Baraya Extended Care?
The Saudi healthcare market presents significant investment potential, driven by a growing population, an aging demographic, and government-led reforms under Vision 2030. With increasing demand for specialized services, including long-term care and rehabilitation, investors have a unique opportunity to contribute to the sector’s expansion while benefiting from strong regulatory support, public-private partnerships, and a rapidly evolving healthcare infrastructure
Baraya Extended Care aims to become the leading platform for extended care in Saudi Arabia, starting with over 650 beds and a scalable foundation for growth. With plans to admit our first patients to the hospital within the next year, our vision is to set a new standard for long-term care and rehabilitation services by integrating innovation, quality, and sustainability to meet evolving healthcare needs
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders based on your extensive experience in healthcare ventures?
Building a successful venture, especially in healthcare, is a complex and demanding journey, but one that can be profoundly rewarding. Having worked with TVM on transformative projects like Manzil Healthcare Services, CMRC, and now Baraya Extended Care, I’ve found that success is grounded in three critical elements: a clear vision, a meticulous plan, and an exceptional team.
Passion is the foundation of any entrepreneurial endeavor. It is what sustains you through inevitable challenges, downturns, and moments of uncertainty. Equally important is having a strong and adaptable plan, one that provides the structure to navigate complexities while keeping the larger objectives in focus. However, even the best strategies will falter without the right people to execute them. Surrounding yourself with a team that not only possesses the necessary skills but also shares your vision and commitment is key. These individuals need to be motivated, loyal, and willing to make personal sacrifices when needed—those who will rise to the occasion during critical moments and embody the shared purpose of the venture.
Startups, particularly in healthcare, require resilience, adaptability, and a long-term perspective. There will be setbacks, but if you remain passionate, build a strong, dedicated team, and always keep the bigger picture in sight, the journey, while challenging, becomes an opportunity to create something impactful and enduring.
