Health Care RSMI: 241

By Amr A. Abd-Elghany, Ph.D. Basic concepts of health care Health is one of our most precious possessions • Definition of Health One person may consider himself to be healthy whenever he is not physically ill, while another may consider himself to be healthy only when he is emotionally and physically "at his best. we will define health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well- being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Total Health 1. Social health. A sense of responsibility for the health and welfare of others.

2. Mental health. A mind that grows, reasons, and adjusts to life situations.

3. Emotional health. Feelings and actions that bring one satisfaction.

4. Spiritual health. Inner peace and security in one's spiritual faith. Today health care delivery system

• In earlier generations, illnesses were cared for at home. • Prevention is an important approach of health care because it is more affordable than the costs of treating disease. • Prevention includes good nutrition and exercise, avoid bad habits as smoking and the use of recreational drugs. • Illness are treated promptly, before they become chronic or life-threatening. • Crisis intervention is another approach. • Therefore Health care is defined as: is the treatment and prevention of illness. • Health illness continuum: it is a line graph drawn between optimum health and fatal illness. Health care insurance systems • Social health insurance: is where a nation's entire population is eligible for health care coverage, and this coverage and the services provided are regulated. • In almost every country, state or municipality with a government health care system a parallel private, and usually for-profit, system is allowed to operate. • The medical model of health focuses on the eradication of illness through diagnosis and effective treatment. • In contrast, the social model of health places emphasis on changes that can be made in society and in people's own lifestyles to make the population healthier. • Health care systems are composed of individuals and organizations that aim to meet the health care needs of target populations. The Healthcare System of

-The Ministry of Health is responsible for the supervision of healthcare and in both the public and private sectors.

-The system offers universal healthcare coverage.

-The healthcare system has two tiers.

1. One is a network of primary healthcare centers and clinics that provide preventive, prenatal, emergency, and basic services, as well as mobile clinics for remote rural areas.

2. The second tier is represented by the hospitals and specialized treatment facilities located in urban areas. • In 1970, there were 74 hospitals with 9,039 beds; by 2005, there were 350 hospitals with nearly 48,000 beds. • The Ministry of Health operates 62% of the hospitals and 53% of the clinics and centers; the remaining facilities are operated by government agencies, including the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, the Ministry of the Interior, and several other ministries, as well as by private entities. The breakdown of facilities is as follows:

1. Ministry of Health Facilities These serve the general public and are located in both the large cities and the small towns throughout Saudi Arabia. 2. Military Hospitals These serve members of the Saudi Arabia armed forces and members of their families, according to the branch of the military in which the individual serves.

Military in Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) SANG is the branch of the military that is involved with defense against external threats and internal threats. SANG has four hospitals which provide care to the soldiers of the Saudi Arabian National Guard and their dependents:

• King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh (650 beds, formerly the King Fahad National Guard Hospital); • King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah (350 beds, formerly the King Khalid National Guard Hospital); • King Abdulaziz Medical City – Dammam (100 beds); • King Abdulaziz Medical City – Al Ahsa (300 beds); • The Saudi Arabian National Guard also operates clinics in Riyadh and Taif. • Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA) • MODA provides defense against primarily external threats. It includes the Saudi Arabian Army, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, the and Royal Saudi Air Defense. MODA operates nine hospitals which provide care to the soldiers of MODA and their dependents:

• Riyadh Military Hospital Al Kharj, Riyadh (1,000+ beds); • Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, Riyadh (150+ beds); • North West Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk (350 beds); • King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran (316 beds); • Armed Forces Hospital at King AbdulAziz Airbase, Al Khobar (280 beds); • King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah (200+ beds); • King Faisal/King Fahad Hospital, Khamis Mushayt (total 258 beds); • Al Hada Hospital, Taif (500+ beds); • Hafr Al-Batin Armed Forces Hospital, Hafr Al-Batin (300 beds); • Wadi Al-Dawassir Hospital, Wadi Al-Dawassir (100 beds).