Alvarez & Marsal have been working in Saudi Arabia to help local healthcare services providers evolve and improve their business operations. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health has embarked on a mission to "raise the levels of productivity, efficiency and quality." The recent transformational efforts within the Kingdom's healthcare sector have propelled the nation to an impressive level of performance, showcasing significant advancements in healthcare standards.

Challenges

The Covid era impacted and stressed the resources and operations of healthcare providers across the globe. Saudi Arabia's healthcare industry was no exception and the pressure of the pandemic forced the providers in the country to evolve rapidly. Bloomberg has rated the Kingdom's healthcare services during the pandemic among the top five countries in the world, and second for Covid-19 resilience.

Transformation

The roots of this resilience may lie in 2017, when Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health launched a Health Sector Transformation Program with a focus on improving access, modernizing the assets, and enhancing the role of private sector investment in the Kingdom's healthcare services. The transformation program was established to achieve the health goals of "Vision 2030," a series of reforms aimed at diversifying the Saudi economy.

These initiatives are helping Saudi Arabia make significant strides towards achieving its healthcare goals. These accomplishments reflect sustained improvement and fundamental changes in performance indicators since 2017. The Health Transformation Program established key indicators as part of the program, including:

  1. Patient Care Efficiency – measured by the average length of stay for patient admissions;
  2. Expedited Emergency Services – measured by average emergency waiting times; and
  3. Surge in Surgical Services – measured by the average number of weekly surgeries.

Results:

Since 2017, the KSA's key performance indicators have improved significantly:

  • Efficiency in Patient Care: The Kingdom has established a new benchmark in healthcare efficiency, slashing the average length of stay for patient admissions from by more than 30% since 2017, resulting in a significant enhancement of operational efficiency.
  • Expedited Emergency Services: A hallmark achievement lies in the realm of emergency care, where the Kingdom boasts the lowest patient waiting time in the ER department among G20 nations. With an average waiting time of just two hours from arrival to treatment completion, the Ministry is committed to further reducing this timeframe. Their focus remains on prompt and effective interventions to alleviate suffering and preserve lives.
  • Surge in Surgical Services: The Kingdom's commitment to enhancing surgical services is evidenced by a remarkable surge in the number of surgeries performed weekly. Scaling up from 2,000 to an impressive 8,400 surgeries, the Ministry pledges to elevate this figure further within the current year, ensuring timely access to critical interventions and addressing the growing healthcare needs of the populace.

The remarkable strides made in Saudi Arabia's healthcare sector stand as a testament to the nation's dedication to excellence and innovation, driving progress and the Kingdom's new standard for healthcare systems globally. Looking forward, Saudi Arabia's healthcare transformation will undoubtedly inspire and shape the future of healthcare delivery, serving as a beacon of success for nations worldwide.

As A&M has outlined in a previous analysis, the private sector is set to play an important role in Saudi Arabia's ambitious plans to transform healthcare services as part of the Vision 2030 initiative. From expanding primary care to providing more beds and establishing medical cities throughout the country, the rapid transformation of healthcare systems will be key to ensuring continued resilience in the next decade.

A&M looks forward to continuing support for the healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia and throughout the region.

Originally published on the 24th of February, 2024.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.