Primary Healthcare in Saudi Arabia

Due to inefficiencies, underutilization, and diminished resources, the delivery of healthcare worldwide is a major issue.Present financing means, both government and private, and future financing methods such as a proposed national health insurance program and user-changes are presented and reviewed. Important strategic issues are discussed in regard to cost effectiveness, quality of services, utilization management, certificate of need, and the necessity for integration and cooperation among health sector agencies.

Providing information on the Saudi health system and any planned or proposed reformation in the health sector is beneficial to healthcare directors, planners and strategists and will be of interest to experts and international investors in health system reorganization.

Variations in quality of care exist in many countries including the United States, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates. Like other countries, Saudi Arabia is facing challenges due to growing demand on health services, rising costs, and public pressure for better services. Quality of health care is a multidimensional concept that has been defined in various ways. Recently, components of quality were identified as a combination of access, whether individuals can access health structures and processes of care that they need and effectiveness, the extent to which care delivers its intended outcome or results.

Promotion of quality has always been an integral part of primary health care programs in Saudi Arabia. In 1993, national guidelines for quality assurance in primary care were established. These guidelines cover the main aspects of primary care including; community participation, child health care, immunization, referral, chronic disease management, prescribing, healtheducation, maternal health care, management of communicable diseases, and environmental health. A management development program (Supporting Supervision) was launched in 1995 to prepare regional supervisors to be key players in quality improvement efforts in primary care. Other quality improvement measures were also taken, including treatment protocols and new approaches to staff training.  http://healthcareatm.com/