Experts from Saudi Arabia and the UK addressed a conference in Riyadh entitled GREAT Futures with talks on how artificial intelligence and advanced technology can be transformative in the healthcare sector. The conference gave leaders a tremendous forum to voice their opinion on the rapidly changing healthcare marketplace and the massive influence that cutting-edge technologies are having in order to define its future. The vision of the Kingdom for health care reform is to reduce waiting times, lower costs, and improve the general quality of life of its citizens.
The most significant takeaway from the entire exercise is that Saudi Arabia agreed to a preventive, people-centered model of healthcare. This is with an ambition to deliver quality health care services out of hospitals into homes to enhance access and more individualized and efficient health care. The transformation forms part of the broader Vision 2030 for the Kingdom, aimed at reshaping sectors such as the health sector to respond to the rising population’s needs within the kingdom.
The CEO of the Health Sector Transformation Program-an integral part of the Vision 2030 framework-was Dr. Khalid Al-Shaibani, who gave a keynote address to the attendees. He emphasized how digital health technologies are critical for improving healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and furthering the growth of the economy in the Kingdom. He continued with the point of how various agencies of the Saudi government collaborate to make decisions on health as a collective, taking into account aspects of equity, sustainability, and health considerations of the decision-making process.
Other discussions were around wearable technologies and their applications in healthcare. In exploring how wearable devices could help in bridging the gap between primary and secondary care, Al-Shaibani was joined by Nick Markham, UK Undersecretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Homod of Seha Virtual Hospital. They visualized how such wearable devices could provide real-time vital signs of a patient and give health care providers an overall perspective of the status of the patient before seeking any form of secondary care.
Dr. Al-Homod further discussed innovation in secondary care, particularly through virtual consultations on how to save costs and maximize efficiency. He pointed out the positive momentum within Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector and the supporting environment for startups and companies aiming to introduce new solutions to the market. As NEOM is set to become a hub for healthcare innovation, Dr. Al-Homod is confident that Saudi Arabia will be at the forefront of advancing healthcare through technology. The discussions underscored the Kingdom’s determination to drive healthcare transformation, positioning it as a regional leader in the field.
