The Minister of Health, Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, said that the inauguration of ‘Sehha Virtual Hospital’ is in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. During the inauguration, Al-Jalajel, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha; and Governor of the Digital Government Authority (DGA), Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Suwaiyan, said that this important national project is of a high priority in the health sector transformation program, which serves the 2030 vision and reinforces virtual medicine inside health establishments. It also provides the best virtual health services to citizens.
“This hospital is an example of utilizing the latest virtual health technologies qualitatively to provide easier access to specialized services in a timely manner, on the largest scale possible,” Al-Jalajel said. The Kingdom is taking steady steps to become a leader in virtual health fields, on a global level.
Moreover, this project helps about 500,000 beneficiaries every year, and offers 34 subspecialties. Additionally, it facilitates the provision of consultations and medical solutions for citizens to spare them from going to a hospital, and instead allow them to remotely communicate with doctors. The project also ensures that doctors and specialists share their experiences. In addition to that, it provides patients in cities and villages with access to the best consultants using telemedicine.
For his part, the MOH spokesman, Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdulaali, said that ‘Sehha Virtual Hospital’ is part of the vision MOH seeks to turn into a reality, within the framework of several plans and health programs led and sponsored by the Kingdom’s policies. The aim is to provide citizens and residents with the best and most modern technologies and health services.
“What this virtual hospital provides is qualitative and unique, in terms of the technologies adopted to provide services, facilitate access to them, and support health establishments. By taking these steps, the Kingdom continues to maintain leadership in all fields, including this one,” he added.
Moreover, the hospital is the first of its kind, in the Middle East, to offer this type of services. It is expected to continue to provide these services in more developed methods throughout the coming period. This hospital will also attract consultants and health practitioners with great expertise and rare and complex specialties, which will help it provide the best services for all citizens in all regions. Citizens can benefit from these services either directly and privately, or indirectly through the support of the system from which they receive the health service. Noteworthy, the hospital is cooperating with a network that comprises over 130 hospitals, with several rare specialties, which makes it the largest of its kind in the world. “This number gives the Kingdom leadership in the field, and makes us proud,” Al-Abdulaali said.
Following the inauguration, the Ministers of Health and Communication and the Governor of DGA took a tour in the sections of the hospital. They were familiarized with the services provided to patients and listened to a detailed explanation about these services.
‘Sehha Virtual Hospital’ is the largest in the world in terms of the number of its network of hospitals. Already offering its services, the hospital aims to create an added value in terms of the quality of the health services. It also aims to improve the health, life quality, and well-being of individuals and society, focusing on better health outcomes, and ensuring access to health care.
The hospital's vision focuses on turning it into a pioneer in providing and promoting virtual health care. Its mission is based on utilizing and devising technologies, as well as ensuring that the factors of efficiency and safety are achieved.
‘Sehha Virtual Hospital’ is part of many top-priority initiatives in the health sector transformation program. These initiatives focus on facilitating access to health services, enhancing prevention of health risks, and improving the quality and efficiency of services.
The services of the hospital include virtual electroencephalograms, as well as virtual clinics, stroke patient services, critical care patient services, and radiology services. The hospital also aims to use the latest technologies for the treatment of diseases, as well as use more medical robots to save time and effort, and alleviate the burdens of travel and transportation for patients, especially for critical cases that require specialized, accurate, and prompt consultations, in addition to providing at-home health services.
The virtual hospital also allows newly-graduated doctors to expand their expertise to better improve their efficiency and enhance medical services, as well as provide access to these services across the Kingdom. ‘Sehha Hospital’ receives requests and inquiries from all hospitals through various specialized clinics, which contributes to achieving MOH's strategic goals in terms of the speed and ease of access to services.
‘Sehha Virtual Hospital’ is the first virtual hospital in the Middle East, and the most developed in virtual health care. It reflects the development of the health sector, which has excellent performance as a target. Only one hospital in USA is comparable to ‘Sehha Virtual Hospital’, as it operates in accordance with the same business model.