RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Seha Virtual Hospital has performed 11 consecutive remote robotic surgeries, enabling patients to receive care without traveling.
According to the hospital, the surgical team in Riyadh performed the procedures remotely on patients in Hail and other locations across Riyadh, as part of a network being expanded to cover multiple locations across Saudi Arabia, including remote areas.
The procedures included a right lower-lobe resection, the second remote lobectomy of its kind performed worldwide and the fifth remote pneumonectomy globally, as well as sleeve gastrectomy, hernia repair, pelvic exploration and hysterectomy.
The initiative is part of the Saudi protocol for remote surgical procedures project, launched by Seha Virtual Hospital as a national framework for regulating robotic medical interventions in line with quality and safety standards.
The robotic surgical systems used in the project have been approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority for clinical use and comply with the Kingdom’s regulatory and safety requirements.
The Ministry of Health and the healthcare system continue to use digital technologies and artificial intelligence to bring healthcare services closer to beneficiaries and facilitate access, in line with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program under Saudi Vision 2030.
The program has shifted the focus of healthcare toward prevention and improving population health, changing how beneficiaries access and receive care.
Seha Virtual Hospital is a key part of this transformation. It is the world’s largest virtual hospital, according to Guinness World Records, and is connected to 241 hospitals and more than 1,400 health centers.
It provides services across 114 primary and subspecialties, allowing healthcare facilities in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere to access specialized medical expertise remotely, improve service efficiency and speed up medical decision-making.
Virtual care has also extended beyond healthcare facilities to beneficiaries’ homes through the Sehhaty app, which surpassed 31 million users in 2025. The app offers digital healthcare services, including appointment booking, prescription reviews, medication searches and sick leave services.
It also uses AI, including a digital twin that analyzes health conditions and provides personalized preventive recommendations, and a smart assistant that helps interpret medical results and sends medication and appointment reminders through integration with the beneficiary’s health record.a
