The second Model of Care Forum begins in Saudi Arabia, focusing on innovation and sustainability
The second Model of Care Forum started in Riyadh on Tuesday with the theme “Care and Impact.” Experts gathered to discuss important topics shaping the future of healthcare in Saudi Arabia and around the world.
The forum focuses on four main areas: teamwork in healthcare, new ideas and technology, sustainability, and future plans for global healthcare.
It is organized by Health Holding Company, a government-owned organization managing healthcare services across Saudi Arabia. The event features 25 speakers from Saudi Arabia and other countries, 80 exhibitors, and over 1,500 healthcare professionals from 20 public and private health groups.
Saudi Healthcare Transformation
The forum highlights how the “Model of Care” is playing a key role in transforming Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system. This is considered the biggest healthcare change in the world, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Last year, Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih estimated that investment opportunities in the kingdom’s healthcare sector were worth over $32 billion (SAR 120 billion). At the Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh, new healthcare investments worth nearly $13.3 billion (SAR 50 billion) were also announced.
Al-Falih also noted that Saudi Arabia is making great progress in digital healthcare, ranking sixth in the world in this field.
Highlights from the First Day
On the first day of the forum, discussions focused on Saudi Arabia’s healthcare transformation through the “Model of Care” initiative, which started in 2017. Experts called it the biggest healthcare transformation in the world.
One of the main speakers was Saudi Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulaali, who opened the event. He described the new Model of Care as a major shift in how healthcare is provided—focusing on overall health and well-being instead of just diagnosing and treating diseases.
Dr. Nawfal Aljerian, a senior official at the Ministry of Health, shared key achievements of the program since 2016. These include:
- Increasing the number of women screened for breast cancer to 230,000 last year.
- Conducting colon cancer screenings for 240,000 people.
- Reducing the time it takes to transport stroke patients to hospitals from 30 to 26 minutes, leading to better patient outcomes.
This transformation is improving healthcare for people across Saudi Arabia.
Role of AI and Technology
Dr. Timothy G. Ferris, CEO of Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and a professor at Harvard Medical School, spoke about “Global Perspectives on Healthcare Transformation.” He talked about how artificial intelligence (AI) and technology are becoming more important in healthcare, especially in diagnosing diseases.
Dr. Ferris, who also leads care practices at Red Cell in the U.S., mentioned that AI systems like Skin Analytics are now better than human dermatologists at detecting skin cancer. The AI system has an accuracy rate of over 98%, while human specialists have less than 90% accuracy. He also pointed out that the European Union recently approved computer-based diagnostics for skin diseases, which is a big achievement.
Wayne Keathley, vice president and COO of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and an advisor at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, talked about how important prevention is in healthcare. He mentioned that many chronic diseases are caused by unhealthy eating and lack of exercise.
Keathley shared that over four million people in Saudi Arabia have diabetes, 36% of the population is obese, and 24% have high blood pressure, which is called the “silent killer.” He emphasized the need to raise awareness about preventing these conditions through better eating habits, exercise, stress management, and regular health checkups.
Panel Discussions
On the first day, discussions covered various topics like empowering healthcare workers, using AI and big data in healthcare, and how scientific innovation is changing healthcare. Senior officials also shared their views on how healthcare is changing in Saudi Arabia.
Day Two Agenda
The second day of the forum will focus on improving care systems, the role of primary care, and managing population health. Other topics will include value-based care, managing chronic diseases, and how digital health can support care models. There will also be a discussion on the future of healthcare in Saudi Arabia.
Key Figures
Saudi Arabia has 363 hospitals and 2,061 healthcare centers serving 32 million people, according to the Ministry of Health.
The country has 44,846 hospital beds, which means there are 2.1 beds for every 1,000 people, based on World Bank data from 2021.
As of last year, 96% of people in Saudi Arabia had access to full healthcare services, and life expectancy has increased to 78.8 years, up from 74 years in 2016.
Saudi Arabia also led the Middle East and North Africa in healthcare-related initial public offerings (IPOs) last year, raising $920 million from four IPOs on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul).
Published: 29th January 2025
For more article like this please follow our social media Twitter, Linkedin & Instagram
Also Read:
EFG Hermes leads MENA equity capital markets in 2024—LSEG
5 Tips for Boosting Mental Health: How Are You Doing?
Rani Zakhem returns to the runway with a Ramadan collection
