The Ministry of Health, commonly abbreviated to MOH, is the ministry overseeing the health care and health policy of Saudi Arabia. The ministry is tasked with formulating strategies to ensure public health in the country, while also managing crucial health infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health needed to accelerate the vaccination process of citizens and residents against COVID-19 while managing patient flow and ensuring social distancing to protect citizens against the virus.
The Ministry of Health collaborated with SEDCO to install advanced patient flow management solution including queuing system and digital signage across 15 vaccination centers in the kingdom to serve thousands of visitors daily and offer a fast and safe vaccination process.
- Smooth patient flow using color-coding.
- Easy management of a large number of patients.
- Smooth integration between online appointment booking and walk-in citizens.
- Reduced waiting and vaccination time.
- Seamless patient journey.
Business Situation
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health was tasked with vaccinating the maximum number of citizens against COVID-19 and speeding up the vaccination process to preserve public health. They were expecting a large number of visitors at their vaccination centers and needed to introduce a smart system for managing visitors in an efficient manner.
The vaccination centers were also large and spacious, and the ministry needed to organize visitor flow inside the centers to ensure a smooth patient journey. Moreover, there was a need to maintain social distancing and protect citizens from possibly contacting the virus.
The solution
The Ministry of Health implemented SEDCO’s advanced patient flow management system in 15 vaccination centers across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to facilitate and accelerate the vaccination program. The solution includes a smart queuing system and digital signage.
Citizens and residents can book online appointments in advance using the ministry’s app to avoid crowds and maintain social distancing. Once they are inside the center, they can get a queue ticket and check-in by scanning a QR code that appears on the queuing kiosks at the reception area. Walk-in visitors can also get a ticket from the token kiosks.
After getting a queue ticket, visitors can wait comfortably in special waiting areas until they are called forward to get vaccinated. The smart digital signage system keeps people informed with the queue info as well as the latest health tips, reducing their perceived waiting time.
The vaccination centers are huge and divided into halls, with around 62 vaccination rooms in the main center. Accordingly, the patient experience management system uses color-coding to streamline patient flow.
When a patient is called to be vaccinated, a certain color appears on the screen as the background color of his/her queue number, which also matches the color of a floor signage to show the track to his/her vaccination room. The patient follows the color on the ground which guides them to a special vaccination room based on the color. After receiving the vaccine, the patient waits in the recovery area for a few minutes, until the queuing system calls the nurse to check if any symptoms appeared due to the vaccine.
From the moment people arrive at the center until they leave, the smart system can guide them through the different stages, enabling fast and safe vaccination experience.
By utilizing SEDCO’s system, each vaccination center was able to serve approximately 8000 patients per day. SEDCO’s patient flow management system also enabled the Ministry of Health to enhance the overall quality of service delivered to citizens.
Benefits
SEDCO’s solid experience in the health sector allowed it to design an efficient patient flow management system that empowered Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health to achieve the following:
Smooth Patient Flow by Using Color Coding
The digital signage system uses color codes, matching them to floor signage to guide citizens to the correct vaccination room. Once citizens receive the vaccine, the system directs them to the recovery area where they can wait for 20 minutes, until the queuing system alerts the nurse to check for potential symptoms and release patients so they can go home.
Easy Management of a Large Number of Patients
The patient flow management system allowed the Ministry of Health to successfully manage thousands of citizens daily without compromising on the patient experience and ensuring all citizens get vaccinated.
Smooth Integration between Online Appointments and Walk-In Citizens
SEDCO’s patient flow management system streamlined between online appointments via MoH app and Walk-ins who can also get a queue ticket at the reception desk inside the vaccination centers. The two processes are well-integrated into the patient flow management system, allowing vaccination centers to keep track of walk-in patients as well as those with an appointment.
Reduced Waiting and Vaccination Time
The advanced flow management system automates vital parts of the patient flow process, reducing waiting and vaccination times. The entire vaccination process takes less than 5 minutes to complete.
Seamless Patient Journey
The patient experience management system helps improve the patient journey, eliminate crowds, and speed up the vaccination process to increase the overall patient happiness levels. The smooth service has also encouraged more citizens to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Watch the Video to see how SEDCO Patient Flow management System creates a seamless vaccination process
Create seamless patient journeys with an advanced Patient Flow Management Solution
