The most prominent projects and initiatives of the Saudi Health Council:
- The Unified Health File (Nafis).
- The Health Research and Studies Portal (Nahrsab).
- Cancer Incidence Report 2020.
- National Guidelines for Clinical Procedures for Autism Spectrum Disorder
- National Diabetes Training Program for Primary Health Care Physicians in the Kingdom.
- Training Program for Physicians to Prevent Heart Disease and Atherosclerosis.
- Second National Heart Forum in the Kingdom.
Recent Health Sector Transformation Program Initiatives Led by the Saudi Health Council:
- Laying the Foundations for Regulating the Process of Registering Individuals with Primary Health Care Teams.
- Planning and Designing Primary Care Programs.
Achievements of the Saudi Health Council for the Year 2023:
- Issued Decisions: 23
- Strategic Projects: 68
- Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding: 36
- National Health Registries: 12
- Health Guidelines: 13
- Organ Donation Approvals: 158
- Transplanted Organs: 429
- Accredited Health Facilities: 479
Institutional Maturity Indicators:
| Indicator | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|
| Digital Transformation | 72.48% | %75.24 |
| Cyber Security | 35.78% | 69.52% |
| Functional Data Quality | 100% | 100% |
More than 479 healthcare facilities have been accredited:
- 72 hospitals.
- 22 medical laboratories.
- 52 outpatient clinics.
- 333 primary care centers.
Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions
National Capacity Building
300 residents have been qualified in the standards program for centers; dentistry, home care services, acute coronary syndrome, and basic requirements for patient safety.
Memoranda of Cooperation:
- Council of Health Insurance.
- Saudi Home Care Association.
Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation
Statistical figures for the center:
Organ donation in the Kingdom:
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|
| Number of organ donation approvals | 113 | 127 | 158 |
| Number of transplanted organs | 261 | 342 | 429 |
Launching the National Organ Transplant Registry Platform:
A unified database that aims to govern organ donation and transplantation procedures in the Kingdom, and unify them in one platform that benefits: (organ failure patients, dialysis centers, transplant centers, organ recipients, donor hospitals, and relevant authorities.
Initiatives to raise awareness of organ donation:
Awareness and education program for employees and visitors of hospitals and medical cities in Riyadh
- 14 beneficiary hospitals.
- 11 educational lectures.
- 13 awareness corners.
Walkathon Your Step is Life
(the first-of-its-kind walking event coinciding with the celebration of World Organ Donation Day). This initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation; to increase the number of donors, which is one of the center's strategies.
Initiative to visit transplant patients and organ donors in Riyadh
To check on their health, greet them, and enhance communication between the center and the groups benefiting from its services, as part of the center's activities for World Organ Donation Day.
Signing an agreement with the Saudi Football Federation and the Professional League Association
An agreement aimed at spreading community awareness about organ donation and preventing end-stage organ failure diseases among fans interested in football, through the matches of the Saudi Roshen Professional League.
The most important decisions
The Council of Ministers approved the Kingdom's membership in the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization:
The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization was established in 1965 AD; To identify the causes of cancer and take preventive measures against it, as the agency works to coordinate and conduct epidemiological and laboratory research that focuses on cancer.
Its main objectives:
- Conducting and coordinating medical research related to the causes of cancer.
- Collecting data on cancer incidence and survival in different countries of the world, and publishing international reports on this.
- Issuing a series of peer-reviewed research studies on the potential risks of cancer that can be caused by some substances, compounds and chemical mixtures.
- Publishing periodic classified lists of carcinogenic substances, potential carcinogenic substances and non-carcinogenic substances.
- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has joined the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO), for its pioneering role in "cancer prevention programs in the Middle East region, and its impact on its regional and international environment."
- The capabilities and capacities that the Kingdom possesses to contribute to the development of the field of health research specialized in cancer.
- The Kingdom's efforts in implementing national projects in cancer prevention research.
- The role of Saudi scientists and researchers in writing international reports published by the Agency.
Most important decisions
The Council's approval of the Medical Coding and Classification Systems Regulation
The regulation aims to implement medical coding systems in the best possible way in all health sectors in the Kingdom, through:
- Listing all health facilities and facilities related to the medical coding system.
- Approving the general requirements that must be met by the targeted facilities to implement the medical coding system.
- Approving the registration and licensing mechanism for the targeted facilities.
- Approving the mechanism for cooperation and coordination with the government agencies related to implementing the medical coding system.
- Adopting a mechanism for monitoring and supervising the implementation of the system in health sectors.
Expected impact:
- Unifying the medical coding system in all health sectors in the Kingdom.
- Regulating financial claims between health facilities and insurance companies and claims management companies.
- Evaluating the quality and efficiency of health care and improving health performance levels.
- Ensuring the optimal implementation of the medical coding system in all health sectors in the Kingdom.
- Assisting in health planning and decision-making.
Most Important Decisions
- Saudi Health Council Approval of the National Referral Plan Project between Health Sectors.
- Saudi Health Council Approval of the Financial Fee for the Medical Coding Service.
- Saudi Health Council Approval of the Necessary Procedures for Workers in the Field of Home Care Service.
- Saudi Health Council Approval of the Policy for the Mechanism for Providing Milk Substitutes in Health Facilities.
Most Important Topics Reviewed by the Council
- Quality of Death Record Data.
- Report of the Saudi Cancer Registry and the Interactive Cancer Platform.
- Implementation of the New Model for Human Capital Management in the Health Sector.
- Addressing the Need for Medical Sterilization / Infection Control Specialists.
- Index for Activating the Family Management Program for Government and Private Hospitals.
- Initiative for Electronic Linkage between Health Authority Systems and the Systems of the National Company for Unified Procurement of Medicines, Devices and Medical Supplies (NUPCO) to Develop Medical Supply Services.
Council Initiatives within the Health Sector Transformation Program
Completed Health Sector Transformation Program Initiatives Led by the Saudi Health Council in the Past Years:
- Implementing the healthcare strategy.
- Digital e-health (horizontal).
- Activating organ donation in intensive care units in organ donor hospitals.
- National Registry for Organ Failure.
- Initiatives of the National Cancer Center.
Recent initiatives of the Health Sector Transformation Program that the Council has been entrusted with leading:
- Establishing the foundations for organizing the process of registering individuals with primary healthcare teams.
- Planning and designing primary care programs.
Strategic initiatives
Developing health systems.
Cancer Incidence Report 2020
The Cancer Incidence Report 2020 notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of people registered with cancer in 2020 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; As a result of the closure periods, which led to a decrease in the number of registered cases by 12% compared to the numbers recorded in 2019, this percentage is in line with what was recorded in the rest of the world at rates ranging from 10% to 20%, and the numbers are expected to increase in 2021 due to delayed diagnosis during the closure periods.
Cancer incidence rate reports aim to:
- Support national efforts made in the field of cancer control.
- Plan to establish centers for cancer treatment and response.
- Provide those in charge of therapeutic and educational projects with accurate detailed cancer data.
- Build health education programs and public health programs in general.
Number of detected cancer cases 17,291
- 81.3% Saudis 44.2% Males 55.8% Females.
- Breast cancer is the highest among women 2359 cases.
- Colorectal cancer is the highest among men 966 cases.
- Leukemia is the highest among children 236 cases.
- 39 trainees from 35 hospitals.
- 56 hospitals were visited in the field.
Strategic initiatives
Development of health systems
- Adopting a regulatory path for the procedures and processes followed in evaluating and approving national clinical evidence (Sabeeh Accreditation).
- Ethical guidelines and rules governing dealing with pandemics.
- Policy on the mechanism of providing milk substitutes in health facilities.
- Procedures required for workers in the field of providing home care services.
- Saudi Cancer Registry Report 2019.
- Saudi Cancer Registry Report 2020.
- Updating the list of essential drugs for tumors.
- Review Methodology on behavioral barriers to mental health care.
- Systematic review of dementia care.
- Drug security policy.
- National electronic tool for calculating risk factors for heart disease and atherosclerosis in the Kingdom.
- Guidelines for best practices in the field of vascular diagnosis through medical imaging.
- Updating and developing the national framework for health disaster management.
- Study of the problem of shortage of supplies.
- National framework for health policies.
- Home health report.
Strategic initiatives
Enabling digital transformation
Launching the unified health file (Nafis)
An integrated health platform designed to facilitate the exchange of health data between health care providers in the public and private sectors with complete transparency and clarity.
6 systems linked to the Nafis platform:
- Health Information Center.
- Nafath.
- Wasfati.
- Referral.
- Hisn.
- Einaty.
Benefits of clinical services:
- Providing organized data that supports decision makers.
- Preserving patient rights and reducing medical errors.
- Unifying medical coding standards.
- Centralized unified clinical data accessible to all stakeholders.
- Reducing operating costs.
- Improving procedures and simplifying operations.
- Providing clinical data for the patient in real time.
More than 2,000 health facilities targeted for connection
- 43 hospitals.
- 1,970 private clinics.
- 21.5 million patients.
- Total operations performed 102.4.
- Radiology results 329.4 thousand.
- Laboratory results 903.7 thousand.
- Medical reports 1.4 million.
- Visit history 41.6 million.
- Medications 20.6 million.
- Referrals 116.3 thousand.
- Radiology requests 3,741.
- Laboratory requests 628.8 million.
- Vaccinations M 36.6
More than 40 data sharing agreements with the Nafis platform from various health sectors
- Partners in the Unified Health File (Nafis).
- Health Insurance Council - Ministry of Health - Health Sector Transformation Program.
Strategic initiatives
Enabling digital transformation
- Sick leave system.
- Application of medical coding in health authorities.
- Unified Health File (Nafis).
- National health records:
- National Heart Health Record.
- National Stroke Health Record.
- National Injuries Health Record.
- National Health Record for People with Disabilities.
- National Health Registry for Genetic Diseases and Congenital Deformities.
- National Health Registry for Hearing Impairment.
- National Health Registry for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- National Health Registry for Newborns.
- National Health Registry for Mental Health.
- National Health Registry for Diabetes.
- National Health Registry for Cancer.
- Council and Committees System.
Indicators of Institutional Maturity:
| Indicator | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|
| Digital transformation | 34% | 72.48% | 75.24% |
| Cyper Security | 35.19% | 35.78% | 69.52% |
Strategic Initiatives
Financial Sustainability Application
Sab River Project
To support and facilitate the conduct of health studies and research and make them more responsive in decision-making to address health challenges.
Its objectives:
- Enable the sharing and reuse of data for health studies and research through an automated model; To achieve access to data and reuse it in a safe and effective manner.
- Promote the culture of sharing research data in the health sector.
- Support health research in the Kingdom by making the most of the data collected for research purposes or strategic studies.
- Provide a platform for researchers to access and use health research data safely and systematically.
Target groups:
- Researchers in the health field.
- Graduate students.
- Research bodies and institutions.
- Medical and health sciences students.
- Those interested in health research.
Strategic initiatives
Application of financial sustainability
- A systematic study of personal expenses policies.
- Study of the economic impact of traffic accidents.
- Study of incentives based on human resources performance.
- Guide to Saudi systems and regulations for cancer patients' services and rights.
Strategic initiatives
Improving lifestyle
National guide for clinical procedures for autism spectrum disorder
Its objectives:
- Unifying clinical practice in the field of autism.
- Enhancing the validity of diagnosis and therapeutic procedures.
- Raising the quality of services provided to patients with autism spectrum disorder.
- Accuracy of data recorded for confirmed cases in the National Registry of Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism.
Target group
- Doctors.
- Physiotherapist.
- Occupational therapist.
- Speech pathologist.
- Psychologist.
- Nursing.
- Clinical pharmacy.
- Applied behavior analysts.
Sabeeh accreditation
Identity for approved national clinical evidence, to indicate that the clinical evidence meets all approved standards at the national level.
Its objectives:
- Raising the quality and efficiency of health practices.
- Regulating variation in health practice.
- Reducing waste of health resources.
- Reducing medical errors.
- Digitizing national clinical evidence.
Beneficiary groups:
- Decision maker.
- Health practitioner.
- Patients and their families.
Scope of accreditation:
- Methodology according to the best international methodologies.
- Alignment with relevant parties.
- Transparency: by involving public opinion and not conflicting interests.
- 60 trainees on developing clinical evidence according to national standards.
Health awareness activities for the population
Training guide for home health care patients' companions (second edition)
Information and guidance to help deal with the patient at home to provide the required health service with quality and safety to maintain his safety.
Objectives:
- Improving the services provided to patients benefiting from home health care services in all facilities providing home health care.
- A reference for home health care providers
- Reviewing the tools and skills necessary to manage home health care services effectively.
Enabling the home health care patient's companion to provide medical service to the patient at home through: -
- Providing him with the practical and health skills necessary to improve the health service provided to the patient inside the home.
- Providing him with ways to deal with cases of cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Target group
- All home health care service providers from practitioners Health professionals and specialists in home health care.
- Companions of home health care patients.
Health awareness activities for the population
Awareness materials:
259 awareness materials were prepared and published; 5 awareness guides were issued; In addition to producing 17 awareness videos.
Awareness Guides:
- National Diabetes Awareness Calendar.
- Annual Calendar of Growth Disorders Events.
- Annual Calendar of Cancer Awareness Events, Weeks and Months in the Kingdom.
- Guide to Saudi Systems and Regulations for Cancer Patients' Services and Rights.
- Guide to Training Home Healthcare Patients' Companions (Second Edition).
Human Capital
Employment and Training:
- 184 employees
- 74 female employees
- 110 male employees
- 21 new employees
- 18 interns
5 regulatory regulations approved
Training Programs
- 88% of beneficiaries in person from training programs.
- 1242 training programs (remotely).
- 184 training programs (in person).
Work Environment Enhancement Initiatives:
We Walk Together Platform:
An initiative aimed at enhancing institutional loyalty between the council and the employee on its occasions; To create a sense of belonging, initiative and appreciation.
Nafakhr Platform:
An initiative that enables Council members to express their gratitude and pride to each other in the areas of (cooperation - creativity - excellence) outside the scope of their daily tasks.
Lifestyle:
An initiative to enhance the lifestyle of Council members by raising awareness of exercising and the importance of proper healthy food.
Employee Services Application
To facilitate access to human resources services faster.
Quality of job data