An assessment of the healthcare services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An analysis of the old, current, and future systems

ABSTRACT

With an anticipated population increase of 33% over the next three decades, the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector needs to cater to an every growing population and demand of healthcare services. The demand for healthcare is high as compared to the supply of healthcare services, a scenario recognized by the Saudi Arabian government, which has lately encouraged the private sector to match the shortfall and benefit from this potentially lucrative sector. This exploratory research thus assesses the development of healthcare services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past nine decades and key elements impacting the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector and its future. The research indicates that automation would be a reality, training, and development of healthcare professional would gain a centre stage, and primary healthcare centres would be further developed. The research concludes that both public and private sector should address the issue of shortage of beds at the earliest, by utilizing the funding to develop new hospitals and also, by improving and growing the existing facilities. Furthermore, the government should restructure the funding of the healthcare sector so that it becomes self-reliant and less dependent on the government budget.

KEYWORDS:

• Healthcare
• hospitals
• human resource
• population
• primary healthcare centre
• Saudi Arabia

Acknowledgement

We would like to extend our gratitude to the administration and policy of King AbdulAziz University, in encouraging and promoting the research activities. Also, we would like to extend our appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research for their continuous support and guidance in conducting this study and making it a reality.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Rumaiya Sajjad is working as an assistant professor, in the Department of Health Services & Hospital Management, College of Business, King AbdulAziz University, Saudi Arabia. Her research interest include; Medical tourism, public health, healthcare human resource management, robotics, work family conflict, job satisfaction, amongst others.

Dr. Mohammed Owais Qureshi is working as a faculty, in the Department of Human Resource Management, College of Business, King AbdulAziz University, Saudi Arabia. His research interest include; Public health, human resource management, robotics, work family conflict, job satisfaction, amongst others.