A Qualitative Investigation of Factors Affecting Saudi Patients' Communication Experience with Non-Saudi Physicians in Saudi Arabia.

(1) Background: Communication is the main issue between the patient and physician. Communication gaps lead to medical errors, mistakes, and wrong diagnoses and treatments. It would certainly be a cause of patient dissatisfaction, the physicians' job dissatisfaction, and the increase in the cost of health services. (2) Objectives: The objective of the study was to explore the perception of Saudi patients when they meet non-Saudi consultants at hospitals. (3) Material and Methods: This study is exploratory in nature. Semi-structured face to face interviews were conducted. Study participants were patients from the outpatient department of the Hospitals of Qassim province, Saudi Arabia. A total of eight respondents, four male and four female, participated in the study. (4) Results: Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Two main themes emerged: the first theme is encountering difference, with three sub-themes, while the second one is the absence of partnering, with four sub-themes. (5) Conclusions: The analysis of the patients' experiences of their medical encounters revealed that the effectiveness of the physician-patient communication was jeopardized by two challenges: encountering differences and the absence of partnering. (6) Limitations: This study was conducted in one site only and hence findings must be tested in application to other sites in other parts of Saudi Arabia and in other similar countries. A further limitation of this study was the cultural barrier that was encountered by the researcher during the interview process.

Are cardiac patients in Saudi Arabia provided adequate instructions when they should not drive?

OBJECTIVE: Driving capability can be significantly affected by different heath disorders; cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) should be considered when assessing patients for medical fitness to drive (MFTD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness of Saudi patients about driving recommendations and to assess the incidence of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) among cardiac patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey-based study. Male patients diagnosed with CVDs and who were visiting outpatient departments were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding their awareness of driving recommendations. Patients' demographics, clinical diagnosis, echocardiography parameters, and time-to-CVD diagnosis were all obtained from the patients' medical records. Women were excluded because it was illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia during the study period. RESULTS: In total, 800 men were included, with a mean age of 54 ± 12 years. Driving counseling had been provided to 241 participants (30%). Of these, 207 (25%) were advised not to drive for a period of between one week and six months. Five percent of the patients had a history of MVAs during the follow-up period of 6.2 ± 4 years. We found that the presence of a dyspnea ≥2, according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA), and a history of loss of consciousness (syncope/pre-syncope) were significantly associated with accidents (46% vs. 20%, P < 0.0001 and 41% vs. 10%, P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patient-physician discussion about MFTD was only performed with 30% of the patients with CVDs in Saudi Arabia. Dyspnea NYHA class ≥2 or a prior history of syncope were significantly associated with the incidence of MVAs.

Does health financing in Saudi Arabia need a national health accounts framework?

National health account (NHA) is considered as an effective tool to support policymakers in capturing financial flows within the health system and providing information required to develop effective health policies. Global experiences on NHAs have demonstrated a significant impact on health policy development for better health care. Many countries in the Arab region have already made efforts to institutionalize the NHA in their health systems. Based on extensive review of different reports, documents, and empirical studies in the field of NHA, the paper gives the concept and evolution of NHA and discusses the Saudi health system perspectives and the way forward for institutionalizing a NHA system. The findings indicate the significance of implementing the NHA framework for evidence-based decision-making as well as an aid to the development of a robust and effective policy for the health sector to achieve Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030." The paper also offers a plan of action to be followed to institutionalize a NHA system in the Ministry of Health.

An analysis of the Saudi health-care system's readiness to change in the context of the Saudi National Health-care Plan in Vision 2030.

Change management studies have emphasized the significance of an organization's readiness for change and transformation and have recommended strategies to affect change. Organizational readiness for change is a multi-faceted, multi-level, and multi-dimensional activity; its most important aspect is organizational members' willingness to accept and implement change because ignoring the human factors may result in resistance and failure. Through its National Transformation Program 2020, the Saudi Arabian government is attempting to effect radical changes in the structure and function of its health-care system to achieve quality care and effective service delivery. The aim of the present review is to discuss the Saudi health-care system's readiness to change that Saudi Arabia intends to implement by 2020, based on extensive review of different reports, documents, and empirical studies in the field of organizational readiness for change. The study concludes that if organizational readiness for change is high, resources are available, and situational factors are aligned, members of organizations will take the initiative to change, exert optimal effort, demonstrate greater determination, and engage in more cooperative behavior that may lead to efficient and effective implementation of the Saudi health-care transformational plan with fewer complications and less resistance.