Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center

Aristotle Onassis's first concern, the first "assistance" provided for in his will was "the medical". This word, this instruction, became a guideline for the first of the great projects that the Onassis Foundation would later give to the Greek society: the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center (OCSC), a Heart Surgery Center for all Greeks. A hospital – donation to the state – which relieved tens of thousands of patients who previously were forced to endless and costly travel abroad either for surgery or even for a single post-operative examination. The first certified hospital in Greece for the development and the provision of health services in the field of heart transplantation, heart surgery and cardiology for both adults and children, was the basis of this gift of life, which would translate over the years into over one million visits and tens of thousands operations. It was the first major donation that was created through Aristotle Onassis's visionary plan and was inspired by looking to the future.

The construction of Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center began in October 1987 and was completed five years later. The OCSC was built on a proprietary area of 8,000 sq meters, on Syggrou Avenue, under the Onassis Foundation's supervision. The original cost was more than $75,000,000. This amount is estimated at about €150,000,000 today. On 6 October 1992, after its completion, the OCSC was donated, fully equipped, to the Greek State. Since then it operates under exclusive responsibility of the Greek State. Up until today, the OCSC serves consistently the improvement and the rehabilitation of cardiac patients' health in Greece, the care for the patient, the social offer and the innovation.

The design of the OCSC was done by the architects' office Llewelyn-Davies Weeks, specialized in hospital buildings, in collaboration with architects' office K. Kapsampelia and K. Stamati. The construction was delegated after an international competition to Ioannou & Paraskevaides (Overseas) Ltd.

The building, a total of 21.360 square meters, consists of a basement, ground floor and eight floors developed around a central atrium.

The design of the hospital – which can hold 127 beds – is based on the modern architectural ideas and the technical standards governing the large hospital units. It features intensive care units, semi-intensive care units, heart-attack therapy, haemodynamic laboratories, pediatric heart surgery unit, cardiac surgery unity, cardiology unity and electrophysiology and pacemaker laboratory. Also there is the outpatient department, the diagnostic department and clinical laboratories.

Thanks to the impressive achievements and results of the OCSC, Greek patients have felt safe and secure in its care from year one of its operation. Since 1993 – when the hospital first opened its doors – up until the end of 2018, the OCSC has undertaken 45,680 heart operations, 160 heart transplants, 137,448 tests in its Haemodynamic Lab, and 33,599 tests in its Electrophysiology Lab. The importance of these statistics, however, lies in that they are a testament to the OCSC’s work in stemming the tide of Greek cardiac patients seeking healthcare abroad, and its contributions to the consolidation of trust in Greek medical practitioners.

Since the end of 2014, social security trust funds have saved a total of $640,000,000 thanks to lower medical costs in Greece as compared to abroad – and that sum does not include the additional costs of multiple post-op appointments and stays. In accordance with both the agreement that donated the hospital to the Greek State and its founding charter, the OCSC is managed by a seven-member board of directors, only one of whom is a representative of the Onassis Foundation. The remaining six members are appointed at the discretion of the Greek Government. As part of an ongoing collaboration between the two institutions, the Onassis Foundation also funds an international academic conference held at the OCSC every two years.

Ever since its foundation until today, the OCSC is committed to the continuing improvement of the services offered. In June 1994 the unit of heart transplantation, heart/ lungs and lungs both for adults and children started operating, which is supported by the laboratory of molecular anosopathology and tissue compatibility, which feature the most advanced equipment. The selection of the scientific personnel is done with the most strict scientific criteria. Until the end of 2014 more than 130 implantation of systems of circulation support (artificial heart) took place as well as 144 heart or lung transplants. The survival of heart transplants reaches a 94% during the first year and 70% during the decade, of the highest percentages internationally.

The OCSC is the first certified hospital in Greece and one of the few in Europe – ISO 9001:2000 (February 2004) – for the development and the delivery of health services in the field of heart surgery and cardiology both for adults and children, including the transplantation of endothoracic organs, as well as the support services.

From 2002 to 2005, the Foundation spent $8,500,000 for the renewal of the whole biomedical technology equipment of the OCSC. This way the OCSC maintained its position as one of the most fully equipped hospitals internationally. In 2006, the Foundation decided to buy a state of the art CT scanner, costing €1,600,000.

The equipment which was replaced was donated to the state Medical University of Yerevan in Armenia. The transfer and installation as well as the training of the medical staff was also done at the Onassis Foundation's expense. The University of Yerevan, grateful for the donation, named the University Cardiology Clinic "Alexander Onassis". The inauguration took place on 25 March 2004, with Onassis Foundation spokespeople, ministers of the Armenian government as well as people from the medical and scientific community of the country present.