Sultanah Alharbi
Alhada- Taif Armed forces hospitals, Saudi Arabia
Abstract Title: Every Pound Has a Story: Redefining Obesity with Empathy, Hope, and Healing
Biography:
Sultanah Al Harbi is the Regional Director of the Case Management Department with over ten years of experience in clinical care and healthcare management. She is recognized for leading innovative initiatives that improve patient outcomes, patient flow, and patient experience. Sultanah has contributed to projects published in the British Medical Journal and International Society for Quality in Health Care. Her team also received the prestigious Case Management Practice Improvement Award from the Case Management Society of America. Through her leadership, strategic vision, and clinical expertise, she continues to advance healthcare quality and inspire excellence in patient care and healthcare innovation.
Research Interests:
Background: Obesity is a growing public health challenge in Saudi Arabia, where prevalence rates exceed 50% among adults. Despite routine BMI screening, many patients remain undiagnosed or undocumented, leading to delayed intervention, fragmented care, poor adherence, and premature reliance on bariatric surgery. To address these gaps, a case management-led obesity care pathway was implemented across two military hospitals, emphasizing early detection, multidisciplinary coordination, and value-based non-surgical management.
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre–post intervention study was conducted between January 2023 and August 2025 involving 4,365 screened patients aged 17–65 years at Prince Mansour Military Hospital and Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital. Of these, 3,492 patients with BMI ≥30 met eligibility criteria and were stratified into non-surgical and surgical groups. The intervention applied the 5D Model (Detect, Diagnose, Discuss, Decide Together, and Discharge with Follow-up) through sequential PDSA cycles. Dedicated case managers coordinated diagnosis, education, follow-up, and multidisciplinary referrals. Quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 27, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Accurate obesity diagnosis and documentation increased from 65% to 95% (p = 0.00003). Surgical cases declined by 62.8%, generating SAR 11.5–13.6 million in cost savings. Significant improvements were observed in quality of life, patient satisfaction, follow-up attendance, and lifestyle clinic enrollment (p < 0.001). Avoidable emergency department visits decreased by 15%, reflecting enhanced continuity and coordination of care.
Conclusions: The case management-led obesity pathway significantly improved early diagnosis, patient adherence, multidisciplinary coordination, and reduced dependence on bariatric surgery through structured value-based interventions. Integrating case managers within multidisciplinary teams improved clinical outcomes, patient experience, and cost efficiency while supporting sustainable obesity management aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and global value-based healthcare standards.
