What began with a single cardiac catheterization laboratory four decades ago has evolved into an advanced cardiovascular program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH), reflecting the institution’s continued investment in specialized expertise, technology, and increasingly integrated models of cardiac care.

In 1985, KFSH established its own cardiac team comprising cardiac surgery, adult cardiology, and pediatric cardiology, supported by one catheterization laboratory, one operating room, four intensive care beds, and six coronary care beds. By 1988, the service had grown to four operating rooms, 19 cardiac surgical intensive care beds, and nine coronary care beds, later increased to 10. By 1995, cardiovascular services had expanded to four catheterization laboratories.

The next phase of development was shaped by digital transformation. In 1999, KFSH upgraded and digitalized its catheterization and echocardiography laboratories, installed a departmental server, and connected the department through a network, laying an early technological foundation for more integrated cardiovascular services.

Over subsequent decades, that foundation has supported increasingly advanced cardiac interventions and internationally benchmarked care. Today, KFSH operates Saudi Arabia’s only accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI, supported by an integrated emergency cardiac pathway linking emergency medicine, cardiology, catheterization services, and evidence-based protocols.

Executive Director of the Heart Center of Excellence at KFSH, Dr. Hani Alsergani, said: “The latest step in this evolution is a dedicated Cardiac Catheterization Lab within KFSH Riyadh’s Emergency Department. The facility brings diagnostic and interventional capabilities closer to patients at the point of emergency care and has reduced by 50% the time between the arrival of a heart attack patient and reopening a blocked artery through catheterization.”

KFSH’s four-decade journey demonstrates how sustained investment in infrastructure, digitalization, clinical expertise, and care pathways can transform a single laboratory into an integrated cardiovascular ecosystem designed around increasingly complex patient needs.

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.