IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/gjhsjl/v12y2020i9p1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Challenges to Quality Primary Health Care in Saudi Arabia and Potential Improvements Implemented by Other Systems: Systematic Review

Author

Listed:
  • Abdullah Ghthaith Almutairi
  • Hilal Salim Al Shamsi

Abstract

INTRODUCTION- As primary healthcare centres play an important role in implementing Saudi Arabia’s health strategy, this paper offers a review of publications on the quality of the country’s primary health care. With the aim of deciding on solutions for improvement, it provides an overview of healthcare quality in this context and indicates barriers to quality. METHOD- Using two databases, ProQuest and Scopus, data extracted from published articles were systematically analysed for determining the care quality in Saudi primary health centres and obstacles to achieving higher quality. RESULTS- Twenty-six articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review. The components of healthcare quality were examined in terms of the access to and effectiveness of interpersonal and clinical care. Good access and effective care were identified in such areas as maternal health care and the control of epidemic diseases, whereas poor access and effectiveness of care were shown for chronic disease management programmes, referral patterns (in terms of referral letters and feedback reports), health education and interpersonal care (in terms of language barriers). Several factors were identified as barriers to high-quality care. These included problems with evidence-based practice implementation, professional development, the use of referrals to secondary care and organisational culture. Successful improvements have been implemented by other systems, such as mobile medical units, electronic referrals, online translation tools and mobile devices and their applications; these can be implemented in Saudi Arabia for improving the quality of the primary healthcare system in this country. CONCLUSION- The quality of primary health care in Saudi Arabia varies among the different services. To improve quality, management programmes and organisational culture must be promoted in primary health care. Professional development strategies are also needed for improving the skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals. Potential improvements can be implemented to improve the quality of the primary health system.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdullah Ghthaith Almutairi & Hilal Salim Al Shamsi, 2020. "Challenges to Quality Primary Health Care in Saudi Arabia and Potential Improvements Implemented by Other Systems: Systematic Review," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(9), pages 1-1, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:gjhsjl:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/download/0/0/43121/45124
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/view/0/43121
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mário Raposo & Helena Alves & Paulo Duarte, 2009. "Dimensions of service quality and satisfaction in healthcare: a patient’s satisfaction index," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 3(1), pages 85-100, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tzu-Yu Lin & Seiichi Sakuno, 2020. "Service Quality for Sports and Active Aging in Japanese Community Sports Clubs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Kwan Soo Hong & DonHee Lee, 2018. "Impact of operational innovations on customer loyalty in the healthcare sector," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 12(3), pages 575-600, September.
    3. Stefan Meinzer & Johann Prenninger & Patrick Vesel & Johannes Kornhuber & Judith Volmer & Joachim Hornegger & Björn M. Eskofier, 2016. "Translating satisfaction determination from health care to the automotive industry," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 10(4), pages 651-685, December.
    4. Sang M. Lee & Jin Sung Rha, 2018. "A network text analysis of published papers in service business, 2007–2017: research trends in the service sector," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 12(4), pages 809-831, December.
    5. Fernando A. F. Ferreira & Ronald W. Spahr & Mark A. Sunderman & Audrius Banaitis & João J. M. Ferreira, 2017. "A learning-oriented decision-making process for real estate brokerage service evaluation," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 11(3), pages 453-474, September.
    6. DonHee Lee, 2012. "Implementation of quality programs in health care organizations," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 6(3), pages 387-404, September.
    7. Keramidou, Ioanna & Triantafillopoulos, Loukas, 2023. "Does the patient perception of service quality differ in the recession period? Evidence from Greek hospital care," MPRA Paper 117161, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Chengyu Liu & Yan Li & Mingjie Fang & Feng Liu, 2023. "Using machine learning to explore the determinants of service satisfaction with online healthcare platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(2), pages 449-476, June.
    9. Bomi Song & Changyong Lee & Byungun Yoon & Yongtae Park, 2016. "Diagnosing service quality using customer reviews: an index approach based on sentiment and gap analyses," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 10(4), pages 775-798, December.
    10. DonHee Lee & Kai K. Kim, 2017. "Assessing healthcare service quality: a comparative study of patient treatment types," International Journal of Quality Innovation, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-15, December.
    11. Kaynak, Ramazan & Sert, Tuba & Sert, Gurkan & Akyuz, Bulent, 2015. "Supply chain unethical behaviors and continuity of relationship: Using the PLS approach for testing moderation effects of inter-organizational justice," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 83-91.
    12. W. To & Joyce Tam & Millissa Cheung, 2013. "Explore how Chinese consumers evaluate retail service quality and satisfaction," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 7(1), pages 121-142, March.
    13. Daniela Carlucci & Paolo Renna & Giovanni Schiuma, 2013. "Evaluating service quality dimensions as antecedents to outpatient satisfaction using back propagation neural network," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 37-44, March.
    14. Piyush Kumar & Mayukh Dass & Omer Topaloglu, 2011. "Exploring satisfaction in business-to-business services: a path-analytic approach," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 5(1), pages 13-27, March.
    15. Don Jeng & Sky Kuo, 2012. "Internal service quality within the different Chinese subcultures: a comparison between Taiwan, China, and Singapore," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 6(4), pages 425-458, December.
    16. Sang-Man Kim & Jae-Young Oh, 2012. "Employee emotional response toward healthcare organization’s service recovery efforts and its influences on service recovery performance," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 6(3), pages 297-321, September.
    17. Aleksandra Jonkisz & Piotr Karniej & Dorota Krasowska, 2021. "SERVQUAL Method as an “Old New” Tool for Improving the Quality of Medical Services: A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-10, October.
    18. Mohamed Ali Barakat, 2021. "Factors Affecting Brand Equity in Fast Food Restaurants Industry in Egypt," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(5), pages 117-117, July.
    19. Shahidul Islam & Nazlida Muhamad & Wardah Hakimah Sumardi, 2022. "Customer-perceived service wellbeing in a transformative framework: Research propositions in the area of health services," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 19(1), pages 219-245, March.
    20. Lucía Melián-Alzola & Josefa D. Martín-Santana, 2020. "Service quality in blood donation: satisfaction, trust and loyalty," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 14(1), pages 101-129, March.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:gjhsjl:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.