MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Health Cluster is reinforcing its leading role in digital healthcare transformation through an innovative medical smartwatch initiative designed to enhance remote patient monitoring, especially for cardiac and high-risk patients.
Led by King Abdullah Medical City, the initiative is integrated into the virtual healthcare ecosystem and connected to the Makkah Virtual Hospital, a branch of Seha Virtual Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.
Patients are provided with smartwatches and wearable devices linked to a comprehensive digital platform that transmits vital signs to healthcare teams in real time, allowing for immediate medical intervention when necessary.
Minister of Health Fahad AlJalajel described the initiative as a cutting-edge example of digital and virtual healthcare services that utilise smart technologies to improve healthcare quality and patient monitoring beyond hospital environments.
The system monitors key health indicators such as heart rate, ECG readings, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, body temperature, physical activity, and overall patient status.
This data is continuously sent to digital monitoring centres for evaluation by medical specialists.
In addition to smartwatches, the system incorporates home-based devices such as smart blood pressure monitors and smart weighing scales.
It also includes real-time alerts for abnormal readings and continuous supervision by specialised medical and nursing teams.
The initiative aims to reduce hospital admissions, shorten patient stays, and strengthen preventive and proactive healthcare services.
