Strategic Plan 2010-2020 - Patients First.

This Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Health is a nationwide sectoral document aiming at promoting and supporting public health, disease prevention, and healthy lifestyles among members of society since it considers that the first and most important cause of health and disease is due to the behavior of the individual, his lifestyle, and the conditions of the environment in which he lives, and then comes the health care he receives. The Ministry of Health is the main body entrusted with providing health services to the population of the Kingdom, in addition to its responsibility related to the control and supervision of private sector facilities, as well as the development of legislation, rules, and regulations related to the provision of health care services to citizens and residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For this reason, the Ministry, through the current Strategic Plan, has taken the initiative to adopt modern approaches to providing health care services based on the fact that the patient is the center of the health system and not just a part of it. This means that the entire health services system revolves around meeting his health needs at the right time and place, beginning with primary health care and ending with specialized treatment services, in a professional manner that guarantees the patient all his rights.
The Strategic Objectives pursued by the Ministry to achieve the Vision of providing integrated and comprehensive health care at the highest international standards are (i) adopt an integrated and comprehensive health care approach with interest in the research and educational aspects; (ii) establish a culture of institutional work, raising the level of quality, and measuring and monitoring performance; (iii) attract qualified cadres and develop human resources; (iv) developing e-Health and information systems; (v) the optimal use of resources, the application of health care economics, and the study of financing methods.
The main actions to be undertaken to implement the Plan are (i) restructuring of hospitals and infrastructure renovation; (ii) development of Primary Health Services; (iii) development of Patient Referal system; (iv) preventive care support; (v) promotion of health research and academic training; (vi) health services for special groups of society such as disabled and special needs people, elderly, mental and psychological ill; (vii) development of a comprehensive system to raise the level of quality.