Medical Cities in Saudi Arabia

Medical Cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia refer to the entities responsible for providing healthcare and medical services in Saudi Arabia through their affiliated hospitals, treatment centers, and research centers. They offer services within all medical specializations and engage in the treatment of debilitating diseases.

Some medical cities in Saudi Arabia are affiliated with the Ministry of Health and offer their services to citizens and residents. Other medical cities are affiliated with the Ministry of Defense. They offer their services to the members of the armed forces and their families. Some other medical cities are affiliated with the Ministry of National Guard. They offer their services to the ministry's staff and their families. The medical cities affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of National Guard offer advanced specialized care to external patients according to their medical eligibility system.

According to the Law for Medical Cities and Specialized Hospitals Affiliated with the Ministry of Health, promulgated on March 24, 2014, the objectives of medical cities in Saudi Arabia include contributing to devising advanced rules and standards for practicing medicine within medical cities and specialized hospitals, securing specialized national competencies and qualifying them to work therein, develop comprehensive programs for training resident and fellow Saudi physicians and preparing them to provide medical care, conducting scientific and practical research related to the field of health, collaborating with medical bodies specialized in scientific research in Saudi Arabia and abroad to develop and improve treatment methods, ultimately enhancing medical and healthcare in Saudi Arabia.

The establishment of medical cities in Saudi Arabia dates back to 1956, with the establishment of King Saud Medical City in Riyadh. It was followed by the establishment of several medical cities, including Prince Sultan Military Medical City in Riyadh in 1978 (affiliated with the Ministry of Defense), King Abdulaziz Medical City in 1982 (affiliated with the Ministry of National Guard) in both Jeddah and Riyadh, King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, in 1983 (inaugurated in 2004), and King Abdullah Medical City, in 2007, in Makkah al-Mukarramah.

The number of beds available in Saudi Arabia's medical cities varies. For instance, King Saud Medical City has 1,400 beds, while King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh houses 1,973 beds. King Fahad Medical City has 1,200 beds, while Prince Sultan Military Medical City has 920 beds. King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah houses 756 beds, while King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah al-Mukarramah has 1,500 beds.

Several health specializations are available in the medical cities, such as cardiology and cardiac surgery, liver surgery and transplant, dentistry, emergency medicine, preventive medicine, plastic surgery, orthopedics, otorhinolaryngology, oncology, forensic medicine, neurosurgery, ophthalmology and eye surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, vascular surgery, and intensive care. Medical cities also house several supporting departments and specialties such as radiology and laboratories.

They collaborate in conducting research, supporting the scientific and research movement in the fields of medicine and nursing, and offering various community services, such as health awareness and education services, academic education, and accredited professional qualification, in addition to their main mission related to offering specialized healthcare.

Several medical cities in Saudi Arabia were awarded global accreditation certificates and awards. In this respect, King Fahad Medical City was accredited by the College of American Pathologists, the branches and facilities of King Abdulaziz Medical City were accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), and King Abdullah Medical City was accredited by the American Heart Association, the European Society for Medical Oncology, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).