The Peking University International Hospital started to admit patients on Monday, marking the beginning of one of Asia's largest hospitals.

Located in Huilongguan in Beijing's northwestern suburb, it is the ninth hospital affiliated to Peking University, one of China's top universities. The hospital is spread over about 440,000 square meters and costed 4.5 billion yuan to build ($730 million ).

It has 1,800 beds and 46 operation rooms, including 159 beds in intensive care units. More than 1,400 people are employed at the hospital, with nearly 75 percent of them being medical staff. The floor-to-ceiling height of the hospital's outpatient lobby is some 15 meters, and looks like an airport terminal where 10,000 people can gather a day.

It is also the only hospital in Beijing that has the facility for helicopters to land and be parked on the rooftop, according to a hospital official, allowing patients to be airlifted from other places to the hospital.

All its wards are faced to the south, which is good for their mood and recovery, said Geng Lu, a staff member with the hospital.

There are many restaurants and cafes that provide different kinds of food and drinks in the underground area, and the hospital hopes the design will serve to comfort families and friends while they wait on patients anxiously, Geng added.

The hospital's service and drug prices for patients who have public medical insurance are the same as any other top hospital in China, as set by the government. The hospital also provides exclusive services for patients, both Chinese and foreign, who are willing to pay higher prices.

Top government officials, members of the Peking University management and other invitee were present at a ceremony to mark the initial intake of patients on Dec 5.

The hospital has announced it will collaborate in medical research with University of Pennsylvania, London School of Economics and Political Science, Charite-University Medicine Berlin, UCLA Medical Center and other educational institutions.

"With the Peking University and Peking University International Hospital, we share a common mission to serve the local and international communities," said Michael Arthur, president of University College London.

"I'm glad I came to Beijing to see first-hand its (the hospital's) tremendous scale, facilities, equipment and resources," the invitee added.

Edited by: Zhang Jiang