MOH Expands Telehealth to Remote Governorates

The Ministry of Health is expanding its digital telehealth services by deploying remote diagnostic software and virtual consultation platforms across community clinics in remote governorates, aiming to bring specialized medical care closer to residents in hard-to-reach areas.

National telehealth is delivered through the Sehhaty app and the Seha Virtual Hospital, which provide multispecialty and subspecialty teleconsultations across public hospitals and connected primary healthcare centers, including remote areas. The Saudi Telehealth Network links specialized facilities with primary care centers and hospitals in these regions.

How virtual clinics work

For hospital appointments, the treating physician decides whether a case is suitable for remote follow-up, and reservation staff schedule the visit as virtual. Patients receive a single SMS with the date, time, a usage guide link, and a link to download Sehhaty, followed by a reminder one day before and an alert when the doctor comes online. For primary healthcare centers where the service is available, patients can book directly through Sehhaty, receiving the same notifications.

An Instant Medical Consultation Service allows people in remote and rural areas to receive immediate remote consultations from MOH-approved doctors after entering a brief description of their condition, illnesses, and allergies. The service is currently free of charge, with no consultation fee for beneficiaries.

By mid-2025, the Seha Virtual Hospital had expanded to 241 connected healthcare facilities and reached more than 365,000 beneficiaries, while over 31 million people had used Sehhaty for digital health services as part of the health sector transformation. Access channels include the Sehhaty mobile app for bookings and teleconsultations, the MOH e-services portal for general health services, and the Seha Virtual Hospital platform for specialist teleconsultations. For communities far from major hospitals, these services mean faster access to specialists without long travel.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving