Healthcare Financing in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Review

作者：Kesavan Sreekantan Nair, Yasir Hayat Mughal, Fahad Albejaidi, Ali H. Alharbi · 发表于：Healthcare · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.3390/healthcare12242544 · 被引用次数：38 · 研究领域：Healthcare Systems and Reforms、Global Health Care Issues、Healthcare Policy and Management

Saudi Vision 2030 is a game-changer for all aspects of the economy, including healthcare. This article provides a comprehensive overview of healthcare financing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). It identifies key healthcare financing challenges that must be addressed to achieve the initiative's envisioned health system goals. The review also examines and demonstrates how healthcare funds in the KSA are allocated among different healthcare services, to offer a perspective on resource use efficiency at various healthcare levels. This research used a mixed-method design which includes a literature review and secondary data analysis. A literature review was conducted aligned with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines. The secondary data were gathered from the reports and websites of government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Despite implementing significant reforms in its healthcare system, the share of private healthcare expenditure in total healthcare spending has seen only marginal growth. The current healthcare financing system appears insufficient to adequately support the chronically ill and the poor. There is a significant imbalance in the allocation of government budgets between hospitals and primary care, with four-fifths of financial resources directed towards hospital services. The Ministry of Health's budget allocation prioritizes personnel compensation, poten...