Digital Twin (Health) Saudi Arabia
Digital Twin (Health) Saudi Arabia
Digital Twin (Health) Saudi Arabia
TWIN
CONTENTS
Executive Summary 3
Introduction 4
Digital Twin 4
Data Collection 18
Data Preprocessing 19
Modeling 19
Model Training 19
Table Of
Resulting models 19
Conclusion 21
References 22
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector is undergoing
a significant transformation, driven by the Saudi
Vision 2030 and the Health Sector Transformation
Program. The program aims to improve the sector
by prioritizing prevention, quality, and efficiency. At
the heart of this transformation is the adoption of
digital technologies. One of them is the digital twin,
a cutting-edge technology that is set to transform
healthcare service delivery.
3 Digital Twin
INTRODUCTION
Advances in the Saudi healthcare system have significantly increased the population's life expectancy. This
success comes with new challenges. A longer lifespan is associated with a rise in chronic conditions, putting
mounting pressure on the Kingdom’s healthcare system. To help mitigate this, there's a clear need for
innovative solutions that can effectively prevent and manage these health issues. One promising approach
is the digital twin.
DIGITAL TWIN
Digital twin technology is revolutionizing our
understanding and management of complex
systems. A digital twin is defined as a virtual
replica or copy of a physical object, process,
or system that is continuously updated
with real-time data. This digital counterpart
enables accurate monitoring, analysis, and
prediction. By bridging the physical and
digital worlds, digital twins make it possible to
optimize performance, anticipate issues, and
simulate scenarios in a risk-free environment.
200,000 Miles
Imagine being in space, 200,000 miles from Earth, with limited oxygen and a damaged spacecraft. This
was the reality for the Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970 after an explosion occurred in their spacecraft. To save
their lives, NASA engineers had to act fast: They tested different scenarios using physical simulators and
mathematical models, which helped them develop a plan that successfully saved the astronauts.1
In 2002, Dr. Michael Grieves revisited the idea and introduced the modern digital twin concept.1 Since then, this
innovation has revolutionized how we approach complex problems across various sectors.
4 Digital Twin
The Digital Twin Market
The digital twin market is set to expand dramatically, growing from $10.1 billion in 2023 to $110.1 billion by
2028, with a remarkable 61% growth rate yearly,2 as companies worldwide rush to enter this fast-growing
field (Figure 1).
110
100
Market size (billion dollars)
80
60
40
20
7 10
0
2022 2023 2028
Years
Figure 1. Global Digital Twin Market Size Projection (2022-2028). The stacked bar chart displays the projected size of the global
digital twin market in billion dollars for the years 2022, 2023, and 2028. The market is segmented into four geographical categories, each
represented by a different color in the stacked bars. The chart includes a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) indicator between 2023
and 2028, and the total market size values are labeled for each year shown.
5 Digital Twin
Digital Twin Components
A digital twin is a complex system that consists of five core components. These components work together to
create an interactive system that simulates, analyzes, and optimizes the behavior of the beneficiary (Figure
2).3
Analytical
Environment
Model Model
Generation Interaction
Process Process
DATA
ENVIRONMENT
Physical Virtual
Environment Environment
Model Application
Process
Figure 2. Architecture of a digital twin. A schematic of the core components and processes of a digital twin. At the center is the Data
Environment, which stores the data. It is interconnected with three primary environments: the Physical Enviroment, which measures the
physical system providing data for the digital twin; the Analytical Enviroment, which involves simulations and artificial intelligence; and
the Virtual Enviroment, which visualizes the digital twin. The Connection Environment functions as the invisible structure that integrates
the various components together. Bidirectional arrows indicate data flow and interactions between these components. The diagram
also depicts three key processes: Model generation, Model interaction, and Model application which link the various environments.
The first component is the Physical Environment, where the physical object, process, or system exists and is
measured. It is the source of the data that feeds into the digital twin, which enables the creation of the virtual
replica. The second component is the Data Environment, where the raw data from the Physical Environment
is stored. Third is the Analytical Environment, where simulations, artificial intelligence, and automation occurs.
Fourth is the Virtual Environment, where the digital twin is visualized. This is often the only part that users
interact with. Lastly, the Connection Environment, where all the environments are connected and integrated,
and it includes access channels.3
6 Digital Twin
What is a “Digital Twin” in
personalized healthcare?
It is a virtual representation of an
individual that visualizes and monitors
their health status in an easy-to-
understand format by leveraging
various health data inputs such as
step count, body weight, and medical
history.
7 Digital Twin
In a step towards transforming its healthcare system, Saudi Arabia is embracing the digital twin by integrating
this technology into the Sehhaty app. Sehhaty is an application that offers a variety of health services to
individuals in Saudi Arabia, enabling users to access healthcare needs, including health information and
medical e-services provided by various health organizations across the Kingdom.
The digital twin environments are integrated within the Saudi healthcare system and designed to facilitate
seamless data exchange. The process begins with the physical and data environments which utilize the Internet
of Things (IoT), the Sehhaty app, and the Unified Health Record (nphies) platform to collect and transmit
data. The analytical environment then analyzes the data and extracts insights. These insights are visualized
in the virtual environment along with health recommendations. Finally, the connection environment, which
includes access channels, allows seamless integration with various Saudi healthcare platforms, including
Anat, Seha, Sehhaty, and Raqeem (Figure 3).
Analytical environment
Virtual environment
Connection environment
• Behavioral
data Individual
• Genetic data
• Social data
• Practitioner RISK RECOMMENDATION
ENGINE ENGINE Practitioner
data
Figure 3. Digital twin components within the Saudi healthcare system. This diagram illustrates the application of digital twin
architecture within the Saudi healthcare context.
8 Digital Twin
FUTURE VISION OF THE DIGITAL TWIN
WITHIN THE SAUDI HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
In the future, we aim to develop the digital twin further by integrating various additional elements that
provide a virtual overview of health. Digital twin solutions hold great potential to transform several aspects
of personal health management and optimization as they continue to evolve. Examples of these elements
include but are not limited to health status visualization, physical activity and diet tracking, genetic data
integration, personalized health recommendations, mental health screening, vaccination guidance, chronic
disease simulation and risk prediction (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Current and upcoming digital twin elements to support personalized healthcare. The digital twin elements for personalized
healthcare include tools for health status visualization, activity tracking, vaccination guidance, Body Mass Index (BMI) and biological
age assessments, dietary and mental health monitoring, medical history synchronization, genetic data integration, personalized health
recommendations, chronic disease simulation and risk prediction.
9 Digital Twin
PROMOTING INNOVATION IN SAUDI
HEALTHCARE WITH THE DIGITAL TWIN
Powering Vision 2030 with Digital Twins
The digital twin is an enabler of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. By leveraging the power of digital technologies,
the digital twin can help achieve the first pillar of Vision 2030 “A Vibrant Society with Fulfilling Lives” and the
following strategic objectives:5
Strategic Alignment:
• Ease access to healthcare services (2.1.1): The digital twin can provide
remote access to personalized health information.
• Improve value of healthcare services (2.1.2): The digital twin can enhance
the efficiency of healthcare delivery.
• Strengthen prevention against health threats (2.1.3): The digital twin can
02
Improve performance
apparatus (5.2):
of government
10 Digital Twin
Enabling Value-Based Healthcare and the New Model of Care
The digital twin is poised to be a transformative force in healthcare, enabling both value-based healthcare6
and the model of care7 (Figures 5 and 6). It can support the healthcare system by offering unique benefits
to multiple stakeholders, including:
Population
Segments
Outcomes
+
Costs
Segment-Specific
Interventions
Delivery Benchmarking,
organization research, and
Digital twin
tools Digital twin provides
improves care a virtual environment
delivery by offering for testing and
predictive insights comparing different
for personalized treatments and
treatment plans = Potential Digital Twin influence outcomes
Figure 5. Integration of the digital twin into value-based healthcare framework. The integration of the digital twin into a value-
based healthcare framework can enhace healthcare by optimizing informatics as a central data repository, facilitating value-based
payments through accurate disease risk assessments, providing a virtual environment for benchmarking and research to compare
treatments and outcomes, and supporting care delivery through personalized health management to improve outcomes and reduce
costs.
11 Digital Twin
A Digital Twin-Enabled Model of Care
Specia
ys
ital
El
s
General Hospitals
te
m
P rim a ry Care
Virtual Care
em
unities He
Primary Care: mm
Pall
o a Healthy Communities:
C ual Empo lth
ncy Care Syst
Digital twin optimizes primary divid w Digital twin can show community
y
care by predicting individual health trends to optimize
er
health risks to enable targeted interventions and predict impacts
ed
preventive measures Physical Health on the population-level
Social Health
Mental Health
Virtual Care: Empowered Individual:
Digital twin enhances telehealth The digital twin can empower
erge
em
Pr
ev
st
en
Sy tiv
se e
ea Ca
Dis ic
re
Syst
Chronic Disease Care System Chron em Preventive Care System
The digital twin can monitor and The digital twin can monitor
present patient information to give a health information to help
clear picture of ongoing chronic identify potential health risks,
conditions, supporting better chronic supporting preventive care
disease management
Figure 6. Integration of the digital twin into the model of care. Integration of the digital twin into the model of care can be beneficial
across the layers of service, including primary care, virtual care, healthy communities, and empowered individuals. And the systems of
care, such as mother and child care, preventive care, and, chronic disease care.
12 Digital Twin
THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DIGITAL TWIN
The journey towards personalized medicine in Saudi Arabia has just begun. The digital twin is at the forefront
of this promising field.
The first phase of the digital twin introduces six key elements that work together to provide a comprehensive
view of the user’s health, which are:
01
HEALTH STATUS VISUALIZATION
• Functional Highlights:
02
BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) ASSESSMENT
• Functional Highlights:
13 Digital Twin
03
BIOLOGICAL AGE CALCULATION
• Functional Highlights:
04
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• Functional Highlights:
14 Digital Twin
05
VACCINATION GUIDANCE
• Functional Highlights:
06
CHRONIC DISEASE RISK PREDICTION
• Functional Highlights:
15 Digital Twin
TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK
OF THE DIGITAL TWIN
A technical infrastructure is required to bring these digital twin elements to life within the Saudi healthcare
system (Figure 7). The process flows through various decision points and engines to provide data-driven
insights. The process involves both Sehhaty users and healthcare practitioners utilizing other Saudi healthcare
apps and platforms, including Sehhaty, Anat, and Raqeem. As well as population health officers who operate
the Yamamah platform. It contains a feedback loop, where responses are monitored and reminders are sent
when necessary.
Evaluation Recommendations/Interventions*
User
Implementing
No necessary
Questionaries Send Healthcare interventions
Response?
Engine Reminders at the
individual level
Yes
Database No Mother and Child Care System:
The digital twin can monitor health
status and vaccination schedules for
pregnant women and children,
Engine
e re
Engine
tiv S
ec
lized Hosp
Specia
ys
ital
El
s
General Hospitals
te
m
Primary Care
Virtual Care
em
unities He
Primary Care: mm
Pall
Healthy Communities:
Co dual Emp alth
y
care by predicting individual health trends to optimize
er
health risks to enable targeted interventions and predict impacts
ed
Informational
Scope
preventive measures Physical Health on the population-level
Social Health
Mental Health
Virtual Care: Empowered Individual:
erge
by supporting virtual individuals with personalized
consultations with the user’s data health insights
Em
Complete
Candidate? Diagnosed? Behavioral
em
Pr
ev
st
en
information?
Sy tiv
intervention
e e
as Ca
ise
Machine Business
re
ic D Syst
Chronic Disease Care System Chron em Preventive Care System
The digital twin can monitor and The digital twin can monitor
Learning Rules present patient information to give a
clear picture of ongoing chronic
health information to help
identify potential health risks,
conditions, supporting better chronic
Awareness
supporting preventive care
disease management
No Yes intervention
Population
Cognitive
Analysis Health Officer
intervention Implementing
Result
Previous necessary
Stop Patient Population interventions
Health at the
Risk Engine components community
level
Resources KPI’s
* Not all interventions require actual use of health services (such as hospital visits, prescriptions, etc..)
Figure 7. The standard technical infrastructure for implementing the digital twin in Saudi healthcare. The technical
infrastructure of the digital twin in Saudi healthcare includes multiple decision points with a risk engine, analysis engine, and
recommendations engine at its core. These components evaluate patient data, process responses, and generate personalized
recommendations or interventions at both individual and community levels through platforms like Sehhaty, Raqeem, Yamamah,
and Anat.
As we explore the digital twin more, it’s essential to highlight the risk
engine which offers the greatest value to users.
16 Digital Twin
THE RISK ENGINE
Patients are often diagnosed with diseases at a late stage, leading to poorer conditions and complicated
treatment journeys. Early disease detection often results in better health outcomes. However, many individuals
remain unaware of their disease risk until it’s too late and their disease has progressed. Numerous risk factors,
such as poor diet, smoking, low physical activity, family history, and high BMI, are known to contribute to the
development of chronic diseases.
To address this challenge, the risk engine has been developed as an AI-based solution comprising five
machine learning models, that are designed to predict the likelihood of a user developing specific diseases
based on their individual risk factors.
17 Digital Twin
Machine Learning Methods for Risk Engine Development
The following sections outline the development process of the five machine learning models, starting from
data collection (Figure 8).
Figure 8. Risk engine development process. The development process for the risk engine includes data collection from national
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in Saudi Arabia, data preprocessing (cleaning, feature selection, missing value treatment, and class
balancing), and building machine learning models with logistic regression, cross-validation, and hyperparameter tuning.
Data Collection
National data extracted from electronic health records (EHRs) in Saudi Arabia was used to comprehensively
represent the population. The dataset had various types of information, including:
Demographics Diagnoses
Including gender, age, and marital status Coded using ICD-10 (International Classification
of Diseases, Tenth Revision) codes
Procedures Medications
Documented with ACHI (Australian Identified using codes like ATC (Anatomical
Classification of Health Interventions) Therapeutic Chemical Classification System),
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), and others
18 Digital Twin
This broad dataset was crucial for developing accurate and effective machine learning models within the
risk engine. By accounting for a wide range of health-related information, the models can better predict the
likelihood of users developing specific diseases based on their distinct risk factors.
Several preprocessing steps were undertaken To optimize our models, we conducted multiple
to prepare the dataset for modeling, including experiments during the training phase. In
standardizing medication and laboratory test each experiment, we fine-tuned the models’
names with natural language processing, scaling hyperparameters and evaluated their performance.
numerical features, and handling missing values.
Feature selection was based on risk factors Evaluation and Testing
through exploratory data analysis (EDA), and class
imbalance was addressed with down-sampling. To accurately evaluate our models, we obtained a
representative test sample using the stratification
Modeling method. Stratification factors varied between
models based on the features included in each.
We employed logistic regression models to predict We then applied stratified k-fold cross-validation to
disease occurrence using individuals' features to assess the performance of our models.
estimate risk probabilities for developing diabetes,
prediabetes, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, Resulting models
stroke, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. We
identified factors that may increase disease risk The purpose of these models is to screen for
to create personalized interventions. Next, we diseases and help predict the likelihood of their
conducted an association analysis to determine occurrence at early stages. To achieve this goal, the
the relationships between these risk factors and resulting models focus on identifying as many high-
disease outcomes, assessing whether our data risk individuals as possible, capturing those with a
accurately reflected these connections. high potential of developing the disease in the
future. Each model categorizes users into defined
risk groups—low risk, medium risk, and high risk—
which contributes to more accurate and meaningful
results and supports the recommendation engine
in generating the most appropriate outputs.
19 Digital Twin
THE RECOMMENDATIONS ENGINE
The recommendations engine is a supporting component of the risk engine. It translates complex risk analyses
into personalized nudges. These notifications form a communication strategy designed to inform users and
encourage specific responses. The engine generates different types of notifications, including informational
notifications, awareness notifications, and behavioral notifications, each serving a specific purpose.
The recommendations engine determines the most suitable notification type for each scenario. A team of
specialists has carefully crafted the wording of the notifications to ensure that all communications adhere to
four key principles:
Clarity Sensitivity
Easy to understand for the general Avoiding language that may scare or
public stigmatize users
Accuracy Empowerment
By adhering to these principles, the engine ensures that users receive appropriate, relevant, and timely
guidance. This empowers users to make well-informed decisions and take appropriate actions to manage
their disease risk effectively.
20 Digital Twin
CONCLUSION
The integration of digital twin technology into Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system represents a transformative
leap toward realizing Vision 2030. This cutting-edge approach not only aligns with but supports the Health
Sector Transformation Program’s core objectives of prevention, quality, and efficiency. By harnessing
the power of digital twins, Saudi Arabia stands poised to revolutionize personalized healthcare, enabling
a paradigm shift towards truly patient-centered, value-based care models.
21 Digital Twin
REFERENCES
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RG.2.2.26367.61609
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digital-twin-market-225269522.html
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Fused Twins: A review of access to digital twins in situ in smart cities. Remote Sensing [Internet]. 2022
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Available from: https://www.iau.edu.sa/sites/default/files/vission2030sheetenglish.pdf
6. Council of Health Insurance in Saudi Arabia. Value-Based Healthcare Action plan [Internet]. [cited 2024
Sep 16]. Available from: https://vbhc.chi.gov.sa/assets/pdf/CHI%20VBHC%20action%20book.pdf
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www.moh.gov.sa/vro/Pages/namouzaj_al_ri3aya.aspx
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23 Digital Twin