King Salman Hospital in Riyadh: Pioneering healthcare excellence in Saudi Arabia

Established in 1984, King Salman Hospital in Riyadh has long been a cornerstone of medical care in Saudi Arabia, serving over 3 million residents in western Riyadh.

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Over the past two years, King Salman Hospital (KSH) has achieved transformative milestones aligned with its strategy to improve access to healthcare and build strong service integration driven by efficiency and effectiveness. During the previous 2 years, KSH has achieved a lot of remarkable improvements in multiple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) aligned with the facility's strategic goals.

Reducing ICU stay times

The Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at KSH faced challenges of high utilisation and prolonged patient stays, straining its 13-bed capacity. To address this, the hospital launched a six-bed step-down unit in mid-2023, designed to transition stabilised ICU patients to intermediate care.

The implementation strategy involved a multidisciplinary team mapping resources, staffing, and workflows; a three-month trial where patient outcomes, readmissions, and workflow efficiency were monitored; and a full integration where adjustments based on pilot data optimised staffing and protocols.

The average length of stay plummeted from 6.1 days in 2022 to 3.1 days by late 2024—a 49% reduction—surpassing the initial target of 4 days. This not only improved bed turnover but also reduced costs.

Revolutionising patient access