The Ministry of Health has permitted all hospitals to immediately transfer patients in critical condition to specialist hospitals without waiting for a response from their destinations.
Patients in the past have been denied admission by specialist facilities on the grounds of the lack of beds.
“The instructions will help hospitals in remote areas that cannot provide sufficient medical care to patients in critical condition,” the source said. “Previously, patients were left vulnerable as they waited for the various procedures to be completed and for a response from the specialist hospital.”
The new move makes hospital doctors responsible for assessing the severity of patients’ condition and deciding whether to administer treatment then and there or transfer them to specialist facilities.
“Assessment will have to be precise and accurate to avoid unnecessary crowding at specialist hospitals,” the source said.
He added that Ministry of Health plans include the building of new specialist hospitals across the country to reduce transfer time and improve local medical services.
Saudi Gazette