KFSH puts cardiac cath lab inside Riyadh emergency department

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre has opened a dedicated cardiac catheterization lab inside its Emergency Department in Riyadh, cutting the time to reopen blocked coronary arteries by 50%. The move is designed to speed treatment for heart attack, cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest patients when minutes matter most.

Why it matters: - KFSH’s new Emergency Department cath lab shortens the path from arrival to intervention for critically ill cardiac patients. - The setup reduces internal transfers and can save time in emergencies where delays worsen outcomes. - The model expands KFSH’s ability to treat heart attacks and other time-critical cardiovascular events in one care setting.

What happened: - King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre established a dedicated Cardiac Catheterization Lab inside the Emergency Department at its Riyadh hospital. - The lab brings diagnostic and interventional cardiac care directly to emergency patients. - The hospital says the new setup cut by 50% the time between a heart attack patient’s arrival at the Emergency Department and reopening a blocked coronary artery.

The details: - Physicians can diagnose critical cardiac conditions and perform catheter-based interventions in the same emergency care environment. - The design removes the need to move patients from the Emergency Department to a catheterization lab elsewhere in the hospital after initial assessment. - KFSH says the facility also improves readiness for cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest. - The Emergency Department cath lab is among a limited number of dedicated ED cardiac catheterization laboratories worldwide. - The new setup builds on an integrated emergency cardiac model that links emergency physicians, cardiologists, catheterization teams and standardized evidence-based protocols. - Dr. Hani Alsergani, executive director of the Heart Center of Excellence at KFSH, said the arrangement creates fewer internal transfers, a shorter route to definitive treatment and faster multidisciplinary decision-making.

Between the lines: - The move shows KFSH is changing both hospital design and care delivery to make advanced cardiac treatment available earlier in the emergency process. - Placing specialized capability inside the Emergency Department can matter as much as the technology itself when minutes determine survival and recovery. - The project also adds to KFSH’s decades-long expansion of cardiovascular services. - KFSH has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2026. - Brand Finance named KFSH the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East for 2026. - Newsweek also recognized KFSH among the world’s best hospitals, best smart hospitals and best specialized hospitals for 2026.

What's next: - KFSH is likely to continue using the Emergency Department cath lab model as part of its broader cardiovascular care expansion. - The hospital’s integrated emergency pathway may serve as a reference point for other centers considering similar designs. - The care model will be most relevant in future cases where rapid intervention is critical to survival and cardiac recovery.