Business Development Director

CareInn

1. In your opinion, how have consumer expectations in healthcare evolved in recent years, and what are the key factors driving this change?

Patients today are more informed, more connected, and more vocal about their needs than ever before. They no longer view healthcare as a transactional experience, but as a journey that should respect their time, emotions, and individuality. What’s driving this shift is a mix of cultural change, digital transformation, and higher exposure to global healthcare standards. In Saudi Arabia, the health sector transformation program has also elevated the public’s expectations around access, clarity, and personalization in care.

2. The theme of this year’s congress emphasizes “exceptional care.” How do you define exceptional patient experience, and what strategies can healthcare organizations adopt to achieve it?

Exceptional care isn’t about luxury or aesthetics—it’s about presence, attentiveness, and dignity. It happens when systems are built around the patient’s life, not the provider’s schedule. To achieve this, healthcare organizations need to focus on three things: empowering frontline staff with the right tools, reducing friction in everyday interactions, and designing systems that listen as much as they inform.

3. What role do emerging technologies (such as AI, telemedicine, and digital health platforms) play in shaping the future of patient experience?

Technology alone doesn’t improve patient experience—it depends on how it’s implemented. When done right, it enhances communication, streamlines service delivery, and gives patients more agency in their care. In our work at CareInn, for example, bedside platforms allow patients to request services, control their environment, and access information seamlessly—all while reducing the load on clinical staff. That’s where technology becomes a quiet enabler of compassion.

4. From your experience, what are the biggest challenges healthcare providers face in meeting and exceeding patient expectations, and how can these be addressed?

One of the biggest challenges is operational overload. Frontline staff are often stretched between clinical duties and non-clinical service requests. Another challenge is the lack of integration between systems, which leads to fragmentation in the patient journey. These can be addressed by investing in interoperable platforms that streamline tasks, and by redesigning workflows to free up time for real human connection.

5. Can you share a real-world moment where a patient’s or caregiver’s experience reflected the true impact of thoughtful healthcare technology?

Certainly. One moment that stayed with me came not through a survey or report, but during a casual visit at an industry event. A representative from the Ministry of Health was visiting our booth and, during our discussion, asked if we were the ones who had implemented the patient engagement system at a certain public hospital. When we said yes, he took a deep breath and said, “That system helped me more than you can imagine.”

He went on to explain that his young child had recently undergone surgery and was admitted to that very hospital. The bedside screen system we had installed became a source of distraction, entertainment, and comfort for his child—keeping him engaged and less focused on pain or restlessness. It also meant less dependency on devices like iPads, which in his case were difficult for his child to hold post-surgery.

That interaction reminded us that patient experience isn’t always about the numbers. Sometimes, it’s about the quiet, personal relief a parent feels in a moment of stress. And that, to me, is the real success.

6. What key message or insight would you like attendees to take away from your session at the Patient Experience Congress?

Patient experience is a mindset. Every system we design, every process we implement, and every interaction we enable carries the potential to either build trust or erode it. My hope is that attendees walk away with a renewed commitment to seeing care through the eyes of the patient, and the confidence to make that vision operational in their own settings.