King Faisal Specialist Hospital sets global benchmark in telehealth
RIYADH, 6 days ago
Saudi Arabia's King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) has set a global benchmark in telehealth by delivering 293,381 virtual consultations in 2024, thus registering a 58.2% year-on-year increase.
Through this, it demonstrated how digital care could expand access to specialised services, improve efficiency and ease pressure on hospital outpatient clinics.
A government-owned Saudi foundation with a private, non-profit nature, KFSHRC aims to serve society with the highest level of healthcare and best patient experience in an integrated education and research setting.
The Saudi institution’s digital health services expanded rapidly, averaging more than 800 virtual visits per day.
Launched in 2021, the virtual consultation service was introduced to reduce travel burdens for patients in remote areas said the statement from KFSHRC.
For many, particularly the elderly and those living with chronic conditions, it has eliminated the need for repeated hospital visits, improved quality of life, and removed financial and logistical barriers by connecting them directly with specialists from home.
With an average of more than 800 virtual visits each day, the service has eased pressure on outpatient facilities, boosted operational efficiency, and allowed KFSHRC to optimize resources while maintaining the highest standards of care for both in-person and remote patients.
Building on this momentum, KFSHRC said it has expanded its digital health portfolio in 2024 with the launch of a virtual pharmacy consultation service through its mobile application.
Patients can now book appointments under the Virtual Care option to connect with pharmacists for guidance on medication alternatives, dosage adjustments, and treatment management—all without visiting the hospital.
These programmees demonstrate how KFSHRC is making healthcare more accessible and efficient, while keeping patients at the center of care.
By combining digital solutions with clinical expertise, the hospital is reducing unnecessary travel, shortening waiting times, and ensuring patients have timely access to specialists wherever they live.
These initiatives also support Saudi Arabia’s broader healthcare transformation goals under Vision 2030, ensuring that high-quality care reaches more people while resources are used more effectively across the health system.
KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 15th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year and has been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings.
It was included in the world's best 250 hospitals and in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.-TradeArabia News Service
