Introduction
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health is implementing an ambitious program to realize its unique vision for electronic health (e-health), an efficient health system based on patient-centred treatment supported by the e-health system. By 2030, there will be more private healthcare facilities, more insurance, excellent healthcare education, and better training facilities. As Saudi Arabia’s population grows, so does the demand for healthcare services, resulting in a growth in healthcare costs and an increase in disease patterns, a shortage of healthcare professionals, and long patient wait times.
Saudi Arabian healthcare is of excellent quality and is supplied by both the governmental and private sectors. Furthermore, 60 percent of all services are provided by the Ministry of Health. This category includes primary healthcare facilities. In addition, the private sector is getting increasingly engaged in the delivery of healthcare services. Saudi Arabia has been designated one of the top 26 healthcare countries globally. Although a public health care system has been developed, many people, even locals, choose to use the private health care system. Consequently, many foreigners and UAE citizens who can afford it seek medical care in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. This post will look at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health’s objective and strategy for increasing healthcare quality and safety for all citizens.
Health Literacy and Education
The capacity to obtain, evaluate, and interpret basic health information is referred to as health literacy, and it is essential if you want to make well-informed health decisions. Health literacy is more common among the elderly—minority populations. Socioeconomically disadvantaged people Patients who get enough healthcare education will have a better grasp of their health and will be better able to interact with the industry. Find resources and services. In Saudi Arabia (KSA), a comprehensive healthcare system is being built and strengthened. Vision 2030, the country’s current national strategy plan, encourages independent businesses to sprout up to help critical governmental infrastructures. This will undoubtedly expand healthcare and provide access to cutting-edge technological treatments.
The state and the private sector provide health care in Saudi Arabia. The administration of public healthcare facilities and services is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other government entities. Ministry of Health-managed primary health care clinics (PHCCs) and more prominent public hospitals are responsible for military health systems and different specialty healthcare settings, such as Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO). Non-MoH entities administer health Services. Foreign nationals living in Saudi Arabia have access to the country’s health care system, which they may use for free or for which they must pay a premium to utilize private facilities. Rural areas cannot get healthcare services since they are concentrated in urban areas. Personal health care is on the rise, and Vision 2030 sees it as a way to help public infrastructure along the way.
Vision 2030 aims to improve and expand healthcare to meet people’s needs while incorporating private-sector features and services, such as health insurance. A well-established healthcare system is advantageous for the public. Still, those with poor health literacy are more likely to be refused treatment and suffer from health-related morbidity or mortality. While this is good for the general public, persons with inadequate health literacy are more likely to get sick or die due to lack of healthcare knowledge. This means that measuring and evaluating health literacy in Saudi Arabia at a population level becomes more critical. The story of life in Saudi Arabia is relatively high due to the country’s enormous economy.
As part of the Vision 2030 initiative to increase access to higher education, the higher education infrastructure in Saudi Arabia is now being built; however, many students have already graduated from top colleges outside of Saudi Arabia. However, it’s not apparent whether Saudi Arabia’s rising levels of education and wealth will shield its population from the dangers of poor health literacy. A study of type II diabetes patients in Riyadh found that their physicians, television, and the internet were their top sources of health information (Alkhateeb, et al., 2020). According to another study, people living with asthma in Saudi Arabia were found to utilize the internet to research their ailment. Internet health information may be accurate, but research shows that patient experiences are not always favorable, and the information sought is frequently unavailable.
Risk Management and Patient Safety
Patient safety is concerned with preventing injury to patients, while risk management prioritizes patient harm and other hazards. Patient care is a risk aspect in the HIROC taxonomy of healthcare organization hazards that must be addressed. It is possible to lower both patient health risks and financial and liability concerns with a well-executed health care risk management strategy. Developing, implementing, and monitoring a sound risk management strategy is always a must, regardless of the industry (Lawati, et al., 2018). The clinical and administrative procedures, methods, and reports used to identify, monitor, analyze, reduce, and avoid hazards are all included in risk management in healthcare.
As the population of Saudi Arabia continues to grow, so does the need for healthcare services, which has resulted in an increase in healthcare expenses and an increase in disease patterns, a lack of healthcare experts, and lengthy wait times for patients. Saudi Arabia’s health care system is described in detail by the Ministry of Health (MoH). This includes a bottom-up strategy, supporting inclusivity and cooperation with a culture change toward openness to criticism in quality, safety, accountability, and informed decision-making to promote meaningful results in healthcare. A central government-funded health care system provides Saudi Arabian residents with free access to all levels of public health care. Saudi Arabia has also implemented the Nitaqat system, which is a scheme to increase the employment of Saudi citizens in the private sector and a program of Saudization. As a result, the public healthcare system would benefit from expanding the private healthcare sector.
Healthcare Technology
Healthcare technology encompasses many tools that make it easier for patients to obtain the best possible treatment, including IT systems, algorithms, AI, the cloud, and blockchain. Drug safety is improved, patients’ information is communicated more clearly, and information is more easily discovered thanks to health information technology (IT). Errors may be avoided, and improved clinical results can be achieved via health information technology (Alanazi, et al., 2019). There is room for improvement in practice efficiency, and data may be logged over time. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality, voice search, chatbots, and blockchain are the most promising health technologies in 2022. A healthy and safe lifestyle will be made possible by these new technologies. Before the advent of technology stacks and solutions, medical marketers could not personalize their campaigns for each patient who encountered them. The Saudi Ministry of Health will build an “e-health system” that is patient-centered and standard-based to realize its unique vision of electronic health care. More private medical facilities, more insurance, better healthcare education, and better training facilities are some of the things it considers.
Conclusion
The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia aspires to give patients more control over their health care and empower them to make decisions in their best interests and improve the overall quality of the treatment they receive. Patients have a right to be informed about their health care and participate in decision-making. According to a paper on patient rights released by the Ministry of Health, health institutions must provide information to patients on their rights and responsibilities in the health care system. The concern is offered while delivering health care services to those in need, not just for their rights as human beings but also for their social, cultural, and political duties. Individuals will have more faith in their healthcare practitioners as a result, and they will get better service.
References
Alanazi, M. H., & Soh, B. (2019). Behavioral intention to use IoT technology in healthcare settings. Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research, 9(5), 4769-4774.
Alkhateeb, T. T. Y., Mahmood, H., Altamimi, N. N., & Furqan, M. (2020). Role of education and economic growth on the CO2 emissions in Saudi Arabia. Entrep. Sustain, (2020), 8.
Lawati, M. H. A., Dennis, S., Short, S. D., & Abdulhadi, N. N. (2018). Patient safety and safety culture in primary health care: a systematic review. BMC family practice, 19(1), 1-12.
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