Health Sector Transformation Program

The Health Sector Transformation Program is one of the initiatives to achieve Saudi Vision 2030. It was created to develop the healthcare system in the Kingdom, improve the quality of healthcare services provided, and enhance preventive measures against health risks.

The Health Sector Transformation Program aims to enable comprehensive transformation in the Kingdom's health sector by restructuring it into an efficient, effective, and integrated health system focused on individual and community health. The program has four strategic objectives: improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare services, facilitating access to healthcare services, enhancing prevention against health risks, and enhancing traffic safety.

The Health Sector Transformation Program has contributed to improving patient satisfaction with hospital services, achieving a satisfaction rate of 77.89 percent. Additionally, it has reduced the time required to provide healthcare. The percentage of patients receiving emergency medical care within four hours of their arrival reached 92.3 percent in 2021, up from 36 percent in 2016.

The digital infrastructure of the health sector has facilitated the booking of approximately 108 million appointments for 26 million beneficiaries by the end of 2021. Additionally, the launch of the SEHA Virtual Hospital, which specializes in providing virtual specialty services, supports healthcare facilities across the Kingdom and promotes the culture of virtual medicine. It is one of the largest virtual hospitals in the Middle East, connected to about 130 hospitals in the Kingdom, offering thirty-four specialty services such as emergency and critical consultations, specialty clinics, and multidisciplinary panels.

To achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and enhance the effectiveness of the healthcare system, a number of decisions have been issued, including:

-The establishment of the Health Holding Company and the organization of the National Health Insurance Center: Approval was given for a decision by the Council of Ministers to establish the company and organize the center to contribute to laying the regulatory foundations for achieving transformation in the health sector and implementing the health sector transformation strategy. The Ministry of Health is the regulatory and supervisory body for both public and private healthcare institutions. The Health Holding Company, represented by health clusters, is responsible for providing integrated healthcare services to beneficiaries across all provinces of the Kingdom according to the modern healthcare model at various levels, while the Health Insurance Center is responsible for financing the services.

- The transformation of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control into a public authority named the Public Health Authority (Weqaya): This decision is one of the outcomes of the health sector transformation initiatives. The role of the authority has been activated to combat diseases and contribute to the reduction of both infectious and non-infectious diseases, as well as to monitor, track, and prevent their spread, and to conduct research and studies in the field of disease prevention.

The authority plays a role in enhancing public health and reducing the incidence of infectious and non-infectious diseases, particularly in response to the coronavirus. It also works to decrease the spread of factors leading to these diseases and to increase preparedness for health-related disasters.

- Transforming King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre into an independent non-profit institution: This transformation positions the hospital as a key enabler aligned with its transformation journey to achieve its goals in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030. The focus is on enhancing the quality of life by developing the services provided to everyone.

- Establishment of the National Institute for Health Research: The Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the institute to oversee translational research and clinical trials in the Kingdom, support and improve the surrounding environment, and create added value for these studies. This is achieved by translating research outcomes into health and economic benefits that contribute to enhancing individual and community health and improving the quality of life.

- Enhancing traffic safety in the Kingdom: Concerned authorities have implemented a series of improvements that have led to a reduction in the rate of fatalities and injuries resulting from road accidents. Consequently, the fatality rate from accidents in the Kingdom decreased by 6 percent, while the rate of serious injuries decreased by 12 percent during the second quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in the previous year.

The program operates on a comprehensive policy framework to ensure the sustainability of reforms and enhance expenditure efficiency. It is centered around its four strategic objectives and focuses on: readiness to respond to risks by enhancing health security, ensuring care quality through effective strategy and governance, granting beneficiaries access to comprehensive and distinguished health benefit packages, having a health workforce, innovating in healthcare, reducing the number of deaths and injuries from traffic accidents, financing healthcare, and allocating resources in a way that ensures value from outputs, establishing an executive system that provides integrated healthcare to beneficiaries and a healthcare system based on best practices and health in all policies.

The Health Sector Transformation Program aims to align with Saudi Vision 2030 through four strategic objectives, enhancing the national healthcare system. It focuses on improving access to healthcare by emphasizing human-centric care, enhancing prevention, quality, efficiency, and patient satisfaction. The program also prioritizes effective and sustainable financial resource management to improve service quality and reduce inefficiencies. Additionally, it leverages digital tools, virtual health technologies, and artificial intelligence to enhance healthcare outcomes. Finally, it seeks to integrate more closely with the private sector through strategic partnerships to fulfill national health objectives.

The Health Sector Transformation Program aspires for beneficiaries to enjoy a healthier life, improve healthcare in the Kingdom, elevate the efficiency of service providers, have a robust and flexible healthcare system in the Kingdom, develop and enhance the health infrastructure, stimulate the private sector to participate in the health sector transformation, and increase its investment rate, in addition to activating and updating the means necessary to enhance traffic safety.