RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) has reduced median Emergency Department boarding time at its Riyadh hospital by 75%, from more than 13 hours in 2023 to 3.2 hours by mid-2025, following a hospital-wide transformation of patient flow supported by artificial intelligence and real-time operational data.
The improvement places KFSH among the top 5% of high-capacity academic medical centers worldwide on the emergency boarding-time metric and demonstrates how operational innovation can directly improve the patient journey while expanding access to highly specialized care.
At the center of the transformation is an AI-enabled Patient Flow & Capacity Command Centre that tracks patient movement across the hospital in real time and forecasts potential bottlenecks before they occur. The system automatically identifies delays, sends alerts to responsible teams, and escalates unresolved issues, helping accelerate decisions and strengthen accountability.
Technology, however, represents only one part of the solution. KFSH redesigned processes across the full journey from Emergency Department arrival to inpatient admission. New pathways allow stable patients to be admitted directly from outpatient clinics without passing through the Emergency Department, while earlier morning discharges, faster processing of discharge medications, and streamlined laboratory and radiology services have helped free inpatient capacity.
Pulmonary Medicine Consultant at KFSH, Dr. Fahad Alobaid, said: "The transformation is particularly significant in a hospital with more than 1,500 beds dedicated to high-complexity care, including organ transplantation, oncology, and immunotherapy, where efficient inpatient flow is closely connected to the ability to accommodate complex cases."
The initiative offers a model for combining AI, process redesign, and real-time data to solve one of healthcare's most persistent operational challenges. The result is not simply a shorter wait, but a more responsive care system that directs patients to the right setting more efficiently while preserving capacity for those requiring advanced specialized treatment.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre was ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world's top 250 academic medical centers for 2026, and was named the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East for 2026 by Brand Finance. KFSH was also recognized by Newsweek among the world's best hospitals, best smart hospitals, and best specialized hospitals for 2026.
For more information, please contact Media Coverage at KFSH: mediacoverage@kfshrc.edu.sa
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d67b385d-408b-4b3d-95d4-ece79324d509
