Saint James Hospital has invested €8 million in a new cutting-edge vision and aesthetic centre in Budapest, Hungary, a major expansion over its previous location that positions the group to meet rising demand.

The unveiling of the Saint James Vision and Aesthetic Centre, located in Roseville, an upmarket part of Hungary’s capital, will enable Saint James to perform up to 6,000 cataract and laser procedures a year, twice the capacity of the previous clinic.

The move is meant to cement Saint James’s position as a leading provider of premium ophthalmology, marking the next chapter in a journey that started in 2009, when Saint James Hospital CEO Jean Claude Muscat was introduced to Hungary through a friend, to explore the country’s growing potential.

“At the time, the market was underdeveloped, but the appetite for high-quality medical care was unmistakable. We immediately saw room for a high-end, international-standard eye clinic,” Mr Muscat said.

The team had to navigate a series of adjustments, from understanding the local culture, to identifying top Hungarian ophthalmologists, overcoming language barriers and adapting to local business practices.

Mr Muscat explained that running a premium facility in Hungary came with its own complexities. The private healthcare market is highly competitive, filled with small clinics that compete aggressively on price. For Saint James, the strategy was to focus on higher-quality facilities, internationally-accredited standards, and a five-star patient experience.

Over time, this strategy paid off: by last year, Saint James had become Hungary’s number one private provider of cataract surgery, and the third-largest provider of refractive laser procedures.

“It is extremely rewarding to see how our team has grown and achieved such success in a highly competitive market,” Mr Muscat said.

At 2,300 square metres, the Saint James Vision and Aesthetic Centre is now almost four times the size of the previous clinic and includes a fully equipped aesthetic surgery wing; an area of specialisation Mr Muscat had been keen to offer from the very first day.

Perényi Kristóf

“With the demand for vision and refractive surgery procedures on the rise, we had outgrown our previous premises. Eventually, I would like this facility to grow further and become a private hospital, but we’ll take it one step at a time,” Mr Muscat added.

The facility’s ophthalmic section includes six outpatient consulting rooms, six recovery rooms, a diagnostic room, a refractive laser theatre, and a cataract theatre, headed by Clinic Director and Chief Physician Dr Perényi Kristóf.

The plastic and cosmetic wing has two major operating theatres, two outpatient consulting rooms, an aesthetic clinic for botox, fillers and other treatments, 16 inpatient ensuite rooms, as well as supporting services.

Mr Muscat said: “While our energy is focused on making this new facility a successful one, we are looking forward to expanding further and being one of the leading healthcare providers of quality services in the evolving Hungarian healthcare industry.”

Look out for WhosWho.mt's video interviews with Saint James Hospital CEO Jean Claude Muscat and Medical Director Dr Perényi Kristóf, due out this week.