Background There is growing interest in telemedicine services globally. Saudi Arabia has introduced several telemedicine initiatives to relieve pressure on in-person clinical services and improve healthcare quality and accessibility. Objectives To analyze trends in telemedicine consultation services by the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia between 2019 and 2023. Methods A retrospective comparative analysis was conducted using an open-access secondary dataset from the Ministry of Health via the Saudi Open Data Platform. The trend in telemedicine service use over time was examined using descriptive and trend analyses. Results Telemedicine consultations increased sharply from around 3.1 million in 2019 to 8.8 million in 2021, then declined to 4.3 million in 2023. Most telemedicine consultations were through the 937 service (86.1%), followed by the Sehhaty app (11.53%). Cumulative growth in telemedicine consultations from 2019 to 2023 remained positive for the 937 service (29.0%), Sehhaty app (34.7%), and e-prescription (Wasfaty) system (1051.8%), but declined for the Twitter/X platform (−40.0%). Despite high user satisfaction with the 937 service over the study period (96.4%–98.1%), there was a marginal but persistent decline in user satisfaction with the Sehhaty app (91.8% to 78.0%). Conclusion In Saudi Arabia, telemedicine consultations have increased since 2019, except for those delivered via the X platform. As the most frequently used channel, the 937 service requires specific attention. Although the Sehhaty app and the Wasfaty system have demonstrated considerable potential, further development and simplification are needed. Health service planners and policymakers should prioritize user satisfaction to promote the adoption of telemedicine services.
Mohammed J. Almalki (Sun,) studied this question.