Assessing the Impact of Virtual Clinics on Emergency Department and Primary Healthcare Visits in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study of 10,000 Patients.

INTRODUCTION: By reducing the need for certain in-demand services, the virtual clinics could increase overall healthcare accessibility and operational effectiveness. This study aimed to examine the effect of establishing these clinics on the frequency of emergency department (ED) and primary healthcare (PHC) visits across Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was carried out on 10,000 patients who had used virtual clinics in various parts of the country, between May 2024 and October 2025. A self-administered questionnaire was used in the study to collect information on the frequency and reasons for ED and PHC visits both before and after the introduction of virtual clinics. Fisher's exact tests, Pearson's chi-squared, and descriptive statistics were used in the data analysis process. RESULTS: Among the participants, 44% used virtual clinics once, 23% twice, and 33% more than twice. The establishment of virtual clinics led to 20% decrease in ED visits and 18% decrease in PHC visits. Preferred services included general consultations (76%), prescription renewals (49%), and follow-up appointments (48%). Factors contributing to reduction in in-person visits were shorter wait times (45.18%), better accessibility (39.61%), and reduced costs (36.23%). Demographic factors such as age, gender, and income level significantly influenced virtual clinic utilization patterns (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Virtual clinics have raised operational efficiency while simultaneously enhancing the accessibility and quality of healthcare. The findings align with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives on the digitization of the healthcare sector.