RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Seha Virtual Hospital, which claims to be the largest network of its kind in the world, is helping to address the healthcare needs of Hajj pilgrims from across the world.

The hospital was launched in February this year as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to digitalize its healthcare sector. Patients of the virtual hospital no longer need to travel to different parts of the Kingdom to be seen by specialized physicians, and are not limited to regular clinic hours.

Connected to 152 hospitals and covering more than 34 subspecialties throughout Saudi Arabia, Seha Virtual Hospital claims to be the largest of its kind in the world and the first in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Seha’s chief operating officer Dr. Hani Al-Harbi said that Seha’s still-expanding network connects 13 hospitals in Makkah and Madinah alone to answer the needs of Hajj pilgrims, focusing on four main areas: Stroke, intensive care, radiology, and medical consultations.

Earlier, another official told Arab News that patients can now receive second and third medical opinions from the same consulting room, as the virtual hospital allows patients to visit their local hospital and attend a real-time clinical video session with top specialists from across the Kingdom. During the session, vitals signs can be monitored and shared, while tests and X-rays can also be taken and shared with the network of specialists.

Emergency interventions can be provided round the clock, and real-time consultations with top specialists will guide local staff in dealing with complex cases.