Introduction
The above article by Al Asmri and other authors describes how the vast established investment within the Kingdom’s healthcare system has immensely contributed to the improvement of the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. However, the article further highlighted various challenges within the Saudi Arabian Healthcare system, factors to consider to improve the healthcare system, and healthcare services at large to benefit the general population. The article describes the efforts by the Saudi Arabian Kingdom to ensure the quality of healthcare is improved. For years, the Kingdom has always done its best to establish various transformation plans to enhance the quality of healthcare. The recommendations to improve the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia, highlighted in the article, include improving workforce capacity and infrastructure and increasing healthcare financing programs.
Quality Improvement, Background, and Process Changes.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has consistently embraced and implemented quality improvement initiatives purposed to improve healthcare services within the nation. An example of such initiatives described in the article is ”The strategic Plan of Ministry of Health 2010-2020,” This initiative was aimed at settling various safety issues, expensive healthcare services, and rising demand from the growing population, and this improved the quality of healthcare in Saudi Arabia. Considering the enormous challenges faced by the Kingdom, various health ministers had to be replaced in about two years. Despite the initiative being vital in solving multiple issues within the healthcare system and developing and shaping hospital-based services, there needed to be more consideration of the primary services within the entire healthcare system. This caused a niche within the Saudi Arabian healthcare system. This was because the primary healthcare sector remains to be the leader in the provision of all essential services to the people of Saudi Arabia.
The Challenges in Adopting Changes.
Taking an example of ”The Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Health 2010-2020”, the colossal challenge when implementing this initiative was the generally high cost which led to seven health ministers being suspended to attain the real purpose of the initiative. The other major challenges incurred in the adoption and implementation process of the initiatives are the social and traditional norms in the healthcare sector. Considering that the dominant tradition and culture in the Saudi Arabian nation is deeply rooted in Arabic customs and Islam, all these Islam concepts have a huge influence on various sectors and organizations in the nation. The centralized tradition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been incorporated within the healthcare sector; thus, all structures and functions of healthcare facilities would include primary healthcare within them.
The alignment of Quality Improvement with Vision 2030.
Under vision 2030, the healthcare sector is expected to undergo comprehensive restructuring to achieve an effective and integrated healthcare system within the country with the basis of society and individual health. The vision further aims at ensuring certain transformations are done, including the separation of various functions of the health ministry as well as ensuring healthcare services can also be provided by other certified health centers at primary, secondary, or tertiary levels. Vision 2030 aligns with the quality improvement initiatives because it is entirely aimed at helping solve the issues experienced within the primary sector, which other initiatives find a little hard to solve.
Reference
Asmri, Mushabab Al, et al. “The public health care system and primary care services in Saudi Arabia: a system in transition.” Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 26.4 (2020): 468-476. Retrieved on March 20, 2023, from
In this discussion, you will
• Examine the quality improvement that occurred, including the background and the process changes.
• Explain the challenges in adopting these changes and outline the key issues that need to be considered when implementing the process of change for this decision.
• Describe how this quality improvement effort aligns with Saudi Vision 2030.
Expert Solution Preview
Examination of the quality improvement initiatives, including the background and process changes, has been thoroughly discussed in the article by Al Asmri and other authors. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has implemented various quality improvement programs to enhance its healthcare system, such as the strategic plan of the Ministry of Health 2010-2020. This initiative aimed to address safety concerns, the cost of healthcare services, and the rising demand from the growing population. The primary healthcare sector plays a critical role in the provision of essential services to the people of Saudi Arabia, and improving its quality is paramount.
However, there are challenges in adopting changes, such as high costs and traditional norms that are ingrained in Arabic customs and Islam. Additionally, due to the centralized tradition of the Kingdom, structures and functions of healthcare facilities must include primary healthcare within them. These challenges need to be considered when implementing the process of change for this decision.
Saudi Vision 2030 aims to achieve an effective and integrated healthcare system based on individual and societal health. It seeks to restructure the healthcare sector comprehensively to ensure certain transformations, such as separating various functions of the health ministry and allowing certified health centers to provide healthcare services at primary, secondary, or tertiary levels. The alignment of quality improvement with Vision 2030 is expected to solve the challenges experienced within the primary sector and enhance the overall quality of healthcare services.
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