The healthcare system in KSA has been substantially transformed as part of Vision 2030, including implementation of an electronic prescribing system, called Wasfaty, to enable patients to receive their prescriptions from community pharmacies (CPs). This study assessed patient satisfaction with CPs and the Wasfaty system. This cross-sectional observational study used existing data from the Saudi Ministry of Health's patient experience program. Data were collected from patients (≥15 years of age) visiting governmental primary care clinics in 2022. Summary statistics were determined and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. The sample included 66,541 patients. More than 70% of patients were satisfied with the services of the CPs and the Wasfaty system. Being older and being female consistently showed a positive association with satisfaction across several services. Whereas patients in preventive clinics had higher odds of satisfaction with medication availability (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03-1.37) and waiting time (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03-1.47), patients in chronic disease clinics had lower satisfaction with medication availability (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85-0.99). Saudi patients had lower odds of being satisfied with multiple services. The overall high satisfaction among patients suggested the success of the Wasfaty system in meeting patient needs and expectations. However, areas for improvement exist to increase patient satisfaction, such as addressing medication shortages and ensuring clear patient-pharmacist communication. The results highlight the importance of continued monitoring and evaluation to support the patient experience with pharmacy services, and to improve patients' journeys, medication adherence, and overall healthcare outcomes.

This study aimed to assess patient-related factors associated with the LOS among adults admitted to the ICU in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Health provided a cross-sectional dataset for 2021, which served as the data source for this study. The data included data on adults admitted to different ICUs at various hospitals. The number of days spent in the ICU was the outcome variable of interest. The potential predictors were age, sex, and nationality, as well as clinical data from the time of admission. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were used to analyse the association between the predictors and the ICU LOS and characterize how they were distributed. We used negative binomial regression to examine the relationship between the study predictors and the ICU LOS. A total of 42,884 individuals were included in this study, of whom 25,520 were men and 17,362 were women. The overall median ICU LOS was three days. This study showed that the ICU LOS was highly influenced by the patient’s age, sex, nationality, source of admission, and clinical history. Several predictors that affect how long adults stay in the ICU in Saudi Arabian hospitals were identified in this study. These factors can be attributed to variances in health care delivery systems, patient demographics, and cultural considerations. To allocate resources efficiently, enhance patient outcomes, and create focused treatments to reduce ICU LOS, it is essential to comprehend these elements.

The global COVID-19 crisis has underscored the critical role of effective decision-making in healthcare systems. Saudi Arabia has shown resilience by implementing comprehensive testing, tracing, and vaccination measures. Given the unique cultural and religious characteristics of Makkah, specific challenges have prompted efforts to uncover local pandemic responses. This qualitative assessment aims to delineate the challenges faced by decision-makers during COVID-19 in Makkah and identify key interventions implemented by the Makkah healthcare cluster to manage and coordinate care. Utilizing a purposive sampling approach, executive leaders within the Makkah Healthcare Cluster were invited for semi-structured interviews during the COVID-19 period. Thematic analysis was carried out in five steps, ensuring rigor and trustworthiness through multiple checks, and employing a critical and collaborative approach. Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak in Makkah, participants revealed Several factors that have hindered healthcare organizations' ability to effectively manage the pandemic, including testing difficulties, resource shortages, vaccination misconceptions, continuity of care issues, infections among healthcare workers, and the need for consistent protocols. The participant leaders in Makkah's healthcare cluster specified implemented strategies that helped in overcoming the encountered challenges, such as adopting new technologies, enhancing communication, managing supply and demand, and improving workforce adaptability and development. Their experience in managing Hajj and Umrah provided valuable insights for handling the pandemic effectively. The study emphasizes the significance of technology adoption, effective communication, supply management, workforce development, and lessons from managing religious events. Its findings have implications for healthcare systems globally, emphasizing the importance of preparedness, response, and resilience in diverse cultural contexts.

Introduction: Saudi Arabia has begun reforming its government-run health care system to increase efficiency and reduce costs. One effort is the adoption of an electronic prescribing system (Wasfaty) and outsourcing pharmaceutical services from government-run clinics to community pharmacies (CP). This study aims to compare satisfaction with pharmaceutical services offered in the two systems. Materials and methods This cross-sectional observational study used existing survey data collected from patients (≥15 years of age) visiting government primary health care centers from January 2022 to June 2022. Satisfaction with three pharmaceutical services (availability of medications, pharmacist’s explanation of the prescription, and waiting time to get medications) were the main outcomes. Results: The study comprised 91,317 participants, 74.06 % of them were CP/Wasfaty users. CP/Wasfaty patients had lower odds of satisfaction with the three pharmaceutical services: availability of medications (OR = 0.49, 95 % CI = 0.47–0.51), pharmacists’ explanation of prescription (OR = 0.55, 95 % CI = 0.53–0.58), and waiting time to get medications (OR = 0.81, 95 % CI = 0.75–0.88). Additional findings showed variations in satisfaction levels based on demographic factors and clinic types. Conclusions: The significant differences observed in satisfaction levels based on demographic characteristics and type of clinics visited emphasize the importance of tailoring pharmaceutical services to meet the specific needs and expectations of different patient populations.

KSA is currently undergoing significant changes in its healthcare system, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the role of primary healthcare centers (PHCs) to elevate patient experience and overall healthcare quality. At the forefront of this transformation are head managers in PHCs, who play a crucial role in implementing these changes effectively. The readiness of these managers is paramount to the successful execution of the envisioned transformation and the subsequent improvement of patient experience. This study aims to assess the readiness to change among head managers of primary healthcare centers in Makkah, KSA. Cross-sectional study utilized the ADKAR model questionnaire, consisting of 22 Likert scale questions, to assess PHCs head managers' awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, reinforcement, and overall change readiness. The study found a significant association between higher educational levels and increased awareness (β = 0.214, p = 0.030), along with greater desire (β = 0.207, p = 0.029) among primary healthcare (PHC) managers. Additionally, a positive association was found between age (≥41 years) and knowledge among PHC managers (β = 0.138, p = 0.030). However, managers with 11 or more years of experience showed a negative association with change readiness (β = −0.112, p = 0.001). The ADKAR model outlines five dimensions that are useful for identifying the readiness and willingness of head managers in PHCs in Makkah cluster to undergo change. Assessing change readiness is crucial for organizational transformation, with head managers playing a significant role. Factors such as age, education, and experience influence managers' readiness for change in primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Makkah.

Environmental health is one of the public health domains determined by physical, chemical, biological, social, and psychosocial factors. The current improvement and success in terms of technology, society, and the provision of multiple services after the Industrial Revolution were accompanied by a massive toll of air pollutants that were introduced and emitted into the air, causing global public health issues. It is crucial to understand how harmful air pollutants affect ecological health and the economic consequences of such effects. This study examined the relationship between Environmental Health assessed by CO Carbon Monoxide per capita (CO), Public Health Expenditures per capita (PHE), Toxic Air Pollution (PM2.5 and NO2), and Life Expectancy (LE), using the novel statistical model Bootstrap Autoregressive Distributed Lag (BARDL), for period data from 1990 to 2022 in Saudi Arabia. Results showed no cointegrating relationship and a negative one-way causal relationship between CO, NO2, PM2.5, and LE. Moreover, a positive two-way causal relationship was found between PHE and LE. Saudi Arabia initiated several strategies that aim to reduce environmental pollution and improve the overall quality of air, a step that will promote healthy living and have a vast positive economic impact in the long run.