RIYADH — Healthcare standards across the Kingdom, particularly those concerning quality and patient safety, are steadily improving each year, attendees heard at the International Patient Experience Summit.

Healthcare remains one of the top priorities of Saudi Vision 2030 and National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 presented in April 2016 by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense who is the chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA).

The International Patient Experience Summit, which ran from Jan. 23 to 25 and was hosted by Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Health, brought together the world’s top experts on patient experience.

“This summit was designed to benefit Saudi decision makers who are involved in the formation of the country’s healthcare delivery policies. At the event, they learned from the world’s leading practitioners about how best practices and innovative approaches and technologies can positively contribute to a patient’s journey,” said Abdullah Bin Zarah, CEO of Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City, and International Patient Experience Summit Chairman.

Bill Peacock, Chief of Operations of US Cleveland Clinic, delivered the opening morning’s keynote address, telling the audience that an organization’s patients-first healthcare delivery culture starts at the top with its leadership team.

“Saudi Arabia is doing an excellent job of building quality care into their processes at both private and government hospitals throughout the Kingdom, and we applaud the excellent work of the Ministry of Health in this regard,” he said.

Cleveland Clinic has been treating Saudi patients in the US and advising governmental policy makers in the Kingdom for more than 50 years. — SG