Government hospitals have been urged to improve patient care, particularly through regular feedback from in-house patients. The request was made at a workshop on management skills for hospital directors, concluded in Riyadh on Sunday. Some 26 hospital directors from 12 health regions attended the workshop, held at the Institute of Public Administration. Abdulaziz Al-Humeithi, undersecretary to the Ministry of Health for Hospital Affairs, said hospital staff are responsible for implementing the Patients First program, introduced last year by Health Minister Abdullah Al-Rabeeah. Al-Humeithi said the workshop was being conducted to increase awareness among health officials on their obligations toward their patients. We are expected to be friendly with patients and treat them with warmth and generosity, he said. The training program is being implemented in line with the ministry, whose services are focused on offering the best healthcare services across the Kingdom. The focus of the Health Ministry is patient-centric, he said. Our programs are aimed at ensuring the patients satisfaction. A central department was formed to achieve the ministrys objective, which is linked to the highest authority at the ministry. The department had previously been tasked with communicating with patients, but has since taken on the responsibility of ensuring their rights, he said. Health services in Saudi Arabia are provided at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels both in government and private sectors.

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Ministry intensifies Patients First program