KFSH Redesigns Patient Flow from Emergency Presentation to Inpatient Admission

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — At King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH), emergency department congestion is managed as a system-wide operational priority rather than a localized clinical challenge.

Over the past two years, the hospital has redesigned how patients move from emergency presentation to inpatient admission within a high-complexity care setting.

The work was driven by a comprehensive process reengineering program covering the full patient journey, from arrival in the emergency department through discharge planning.

Central to it is the AI-enabled Patient Flow and Capacity Command Centre, which monitors patient movement in real time, identifies emerging bottlenecks, and supports proactive decision making before delays escalate.

The centre flags delays, issues real-time alerts to responsible teams, and escalates unresolved constraints through defined management channels. Process redesign aligned clinical pathways with the performance data and operational indicators the centre monitors. Together, these have shortened response times and strengthened accountability across departments.

Median time patients wait for an inpatient bed after an emergency department decision to admit stood at more than 13 hours in 2023 and at approximately 3.2 hours as of mid-2025, reflecting a sustained operational shift rather than a short-term intervention.

Operational adjustments extended beyond the emergency department. New admission pathways allow selected stable patients to be admitted directly from outpatient clinics, reducing unnecessary emergency department utilization.

Discharge processes were streamlined through earlier discharge planning, faster medication reconciliation, and improved coordination across laboratory and radiology services.

These combined measures expanded effective inpatient capacity and improved throughput in an environment where care is often resource intensive. With more than 1,500 beds dedicated to complex services such as organ transplantation, oncology, and advanced immunotherapies, sustained flow efficiency plays a critical role in patient safety and service continuity.

KFSH
Riyadh
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