The Supervisor–General of the Domestic Medicine Program at Ministry of Health (MOH), Dr. Nasser Al-Huzeim, has revealed that the Ministry has provided the Program’s services for a number of 33.622 patients by the end of the fourth quarter of 1434 H, with an increase of 2.707 patients compared to the third quarter of the same year.
This comes as part of the MOH's adopted policy to provide the medical services for patients at their homes; in an endeavor to meet their health needs and gain their satisfaction. This comes further within the framework of the MOH’s vision towards improving its health services, as well as ensuring the follow-up of patients and implementation of the treatment plan prescribed to them even after being discharged from hospital.
Dr. Al-Huzeim went on adding that number of medical teams sent from hospitals to patients' homes, reached 326, with an increase of 45 teams, while the total number of employees working in the Domestic Medicine Program reached 1.326 health practitioners in various specialties.
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Huzeim pointed out that all large hospitals have implemented the MOH Domestic Medicine Program. The number of these hospitals reached 181 in the last quarter of past year (1434 H), with an increase of 8 hospitals compared to the third quarter of the same year.
Dr. Al-Huzeim indicated that the cases of the elderly patients, who are over 65 years old, and suffer from organic and mental diseases, comprise about 50% of the total cases being followed up by Program’s staff. Then comes the cases of diabetes and its complications, and a group of hypertension-associated diseases and its complications, in addition to the physical therapy, and the treatment of wounds and diabetic foot, a urinary catheter and palliative care, respiratory therapy, and finally the cases of parenteral nutrition.
It is worth mentioning that this Domestic Medicine Program comes as part of the MOH service programs, with the aim of improving its health services. The program is designed to provide therapeutic, preventive, rehabilitative, nutritional, social and educational health services, for patients at their homes, by means of qualified medical teams, prepared to carry out these activities according to the patient's health condition, through scheduled visits.
Finally, Al-Huzeim underlined that the program has been established by virtue of the Minister of Health’s resolution in Rabee‘ Al-Akher, 1430 H; so as to provide inclusive health services for patients at their homes, and to alleviate the suffering of visiting hospitals, as well as providing beds for the other patients in bad need for them.