KFSH Forecasts Emergency Demand 24 Hours Ahead with AI as Time to See a Physician Falls 42%

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) is using artificial intelligence to forecast Emergency Department demand 24 hours ahead, double its previous window, while the time from a patient’s arrival to physician assessment has fallen by around 42%.

Since its launch, the Crisis Management and Patient Flow and Capacity Command Centre has supported sustained improvements in patient flow by bringing together operational teams, real-time oversight, data-driven decision-making, and the expanding use of artificial intelligence. The Centre’s team has carried out more than 300,000 interventions to monitor and support Emergency Department operations.

Performance indicators show measurable improvement across the emergency-care journey. The average time from arrival to triage improved by approximately 24%, while the time from triage to physician assessment improved by 47%. Overall, the waiting time from arrival to physician assessment fell by around 42%.

Median boarding time for admitted patients waiting for an inpatient bed fell by 75%, from more than 13 hours in 2023 to 3.2 hours by mid-2025. Total Emergency Department length of stay also improved by around 30.5%. These gains were achieved even as average daily Emergency Department visits increased by approximately 8.5% compared with 2022, demonstrating the hospital’s ability to absorb growing demand while continuing to improve operational efficiency and the patient experience.

The Centre is now using artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to extend its view of expected Emergency Department demand from 12 hours to 24 hours in advance, doubling the forecasting window. By combining live operational monitoring, predictive insight, and coordinated intervention, KFSH can prepare staff and capacity earlier, act before bottlenecks intensify, and move from reactive management toward a more proactive model of patient flow. Clinical teams remain responsible for triage and care decisions, while technology supports the operational coordination surrounding them.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2026. It was also recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East for 2026, according to Brand Finance, and listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals, World’s Best Smart Hospitals, and World’s 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/09344fe3-9d4c-49f6-b7b2-e1062f54a564

KFSH Command Centre in Riyadh

Staff at work in the KFSH Command Centre in Riyadh, which uses real-time data and artificial intelligence to support patient flow.