Barriers and facilitators to implementating Team-Based primary health care in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This report provides a comprehensive overview on the what are the barriers and enablers to implementing a team-based primary care model in Saudi Arabia. The report initially lists out the challenges faced by the public healthcare system in Saudi Arabia with a focus on the primary healthcare system and then discusses the importance of team-based care in tackling these issues. The report also discusses how team-based care can also help in improving healthcare parameters like patient satisfaction, in-patient rates, and workforce workload management. The report has utilized primary data collected from Health Holding company in Saudi Arabia which is responsible for improving primary health services in the country. The report has also utilized multiple pieces of research conducted across the primary healthcare centres in Saudi Arabia to identify key barriers to the implementation of team-based primary care. The report identifies organizational barriers including the old hierarchical structure and poor interpersonal training of the workforce as key factors causing barriers. Other barriers include socio-cultural barriers, struggling access to primary healthcare centres to the population, cultural barriers, and regulatory and policy barriers. Through literature review, the report also establishes key enablers to the implementation and enablement of a team-based primary care model in Saudi Arabia such as technological improvements, training of workforce, shift from top-down to a bottom-up hierarchical structure, interpersonal skills, and promoting teamwork in the entire primary healthcare system. This report highlights key recommendations to be adopted for the successful implementation of a team-based primary care model in Saudi Arabia. The report also lists down the strategies for executing the recommendations at the grass root level. The report also highlights the limitations of this study and the gaps in the research. Altogether, the report highlights the issues faced by the primary healthcare system in Saudi Arabia and the need for a team-based care system. The report then continues to highlight barriers and enablers for implementing the team-based care system. The report provides key insights to the Health Holding Company, enabling evidence-based decision-making and strategic planning to enhance the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of primary healthcare services in Saudi Arabia.