The Onassis Hospital, including the brand-new National Transplant Center and Children Unit, was delivered to the Greek State, exclusively donated by the Onassis Foundation

Work on the new Onassis Hospital began in 2019. The Onassis Foundation’s donation amounts to €82 million, the majority of which was allocated to the construction of the new building, a four-story facility housing the new medical units. The existing Cardiac Surgery Center was also completely renovated through this donation. The combined capacity of the new, unified hospital now reaches 185 inpatient beds and 54 ICU beds. The donation also included the procurement and installation of state-of-the-art medical equipment worth €25 million, as well as the digital transformation of the unified hospital, which provides multiple possibilities for both healthcare professionals and patients.

The donation continues with an additional €10 million investment over the coming years, as part of the “Hospital of the Future” initiative, to fund more than 50 innovations. The new infrastructure not only increases the hospital’s capacity but also expands its therapeutic and clinical capabilities through hybrid operating rooms, robotic systems, and new, state-of-the-art hemodynamic laboratories.

At the new Onassis Hospital, the commitment to providing the best possible care translates into a significant investment in cutting-edge technologies, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the core of the new digital systems. These innovative digital solutions and advanced imaging systems, enhanced by AI, enable the Onassis Hospital to offer patients faster, more accurate, and safer diagnoses, more effective treatments, and, overall, a more friendly and comfortable experience. Essentially, the Onassis Hospital enters a new era of medical precision and personalized care, where technology and AI act as invaluable allies to the medical and nursing staff, analyzing data and supporting clinical decision-making.

In the new, hybrid operating rooms at the Onassis Hospital, the way surgeries are performed is radically changing. These are state-of-the-art operating rooms where, in addition to traditional surgical equipment, advanced imaging systems are integrated within a fully sterile and secure environment. This combination allows for complex procedures to be performed with minimal intervention in the patient’s body, as doctors can see ‘inside’ it in real time, almost as if they had X-ray vision, but with far greater precision and detail.

In the hybrid operating rooms, technology takes center stage. Advanced angiographic systems provide high-resolution 3D images, guiding surgeons with absolute accuracy during cardiac and vascular procedures. At the same time, a specialized echocardiography system (cardiac ultrasound) delivers live, crystal-clear images, which are essential for precisely placing valves or correcting other heart conditions without the need for major open-heart surgery. This combination of technologies ensures maximum safety, precision, and speed, offering patients the best possible outcomes with less pain and faster recovery.

The primary goal of the digital hospital is to reduce the time patients spend within the facility while improving clinical data quality, so that doctors can access more accurate and comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of each treatment earlier. Ultimately, it aims to enhance patient satisfaction and overall experience. Within this framework, a dedicated communication portal is being developed, which will give patients access to their medical records and allow them to book appointments online.

At the heart of diagnosis, treatment, and research lies the development of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. Its application facilitates the collection and processing of clinical and imaging data, contributing to the creation of algorithms that support and empower healthcare professionals.

At the new Onassis Hospital, health meets culture, as contemporary works by Greek artists from different generations belonging to the Onassis Collection—the art collection of the Onassis Foundation—fill its spaces. Each artwork offers a sense of calm and empowerment, transforming the hospital into a place where care and art coexist. From Georgios Bonanos’ bust of Hippocrates—a symbolic welcome to the space—and Alexandra Athanassiades’ “Thoraxes” to Yannis Pappas’ “Rod of Asclepius” and Jannis Varelas’ two human-centered works: a monumental painting depicting human figures as an emotional landscape, and a six-meter sculpture symbolizing the human figure in waiting, a single-line stroke forming a caricature-like face. Visitors, patients, and their relatives pass by them, discover their references, and linger close to them for courage, relief, and release.

The murals displayed on the ground floor of the new building and on the floor of the Onassis Children’s Unit were created by Theodoros Koveos.

At the Onassis Hospital, next to the waiting area, there is a room unlike any other. Visual artist Nikomachi Karakonstanoglou has created a space for those moments when one needs a breath to carry on, a moment to reflect, a respite to rise up again. It was conceived thinking of the demanding hours of doctors and staff on duty, for visitors seeking relief from anxiety for their loved ones, and for patients who want to stop for a moment and consider what an examination, a surgery, or a battle for their life means to them.

At the center of the room stands a crystal, sculpted into the shape of a human heart — a symbol of strength, serenity, and beauty. Lighting by Eliza Alexandropoulou traces its own path, echoing the hours of day and night, shifting slowly like another sun that sets and rises.

The soundscape, created by Afroditi Panagiotakou and Manolis Manousakis, serves the need for quiet and solace, offering respite from the noise of the hospital environment and transporting visitors to moments of ease. It weaves in sounds of nature from Messinia and Epirus; cicadas, scops owls, and gentle sounds of the sea to soothe the mind.