Mayo Clinic, Abu Dhabi Health Services open hospital in UAE

(AP) - Mayo Clinic and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company have joined together to open a hospital for complex care in the United Arab Emirates.

Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City began accepting patients earlier this month and is expected to be in full operation early next year. The hospital is licensed for 741 beds and is designed to provide specialty care across multiple practices.

The companies said they hope to make Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City a top destination for medical care in the Middle East over the next decade. It will include a research center and the latest technology, including robotic surgery.

This is Mayo Clinic's first joint venture to operate a hospital abroad. The Minnesota-based hospital opened a four-physician clinic earlier this year in London with Oxford University Clinic.