Built in 1973, it is the city's second oldest hospital, and is located on the Oud Metha Road adjacent to Dubai Creek.

In July 2006, the DOHMS (now DHA) announced a US$272 million (AED1 billion) plan to build a new 500–700 bed 30,000 m2 hospital within available space in the current complex.

The Rashid Hospital deals with some of the heaviest volume of major trauma in the world with on average 3 to 5 cases of severe polytrauma presenting each day.

[3] In 2013, plans were announced for expansion of Rashid Hospital's Trauma Centre that would add 116 rooms and 160 beds to the facility.

[5] The Rashid Hospital expansion is only phase 1 of a larger ‘master plan’ that will see AED3 billion spent on 6 new specialized health centres, 2 hotels, and additional villas and apartments for staff, in addition to a mosque, lake and landscaped open space.