The MOH Specialized Centers and Visiting Physicians General Department held this morning the first meeting for the region coordinators of the Visiting Physician Program. The meeting, attended by the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Hospital Affairs, Dr. Aqeel bin Jamaan Al-Ghamdi.
The Director-General of Specialized Centers and Visiting Physicians Affairs, Dr. Abdullah bin Mohamed Al-Wade'i, pointed out that the meeting focused in the first place on facilitating the procedures of application for visiting physicians, and distribute them on regions in concordance with their need, as well as facilitating the procedures of transport and housing until the end of the duration of the temporary contract. According to Dr. Al-Wade'i, visiting physicians play a significant role in providing healthcare services for patients, and reduce referrals to other regions in search of treatment, by referring them, instead, to health facilities located in their respective regions. Besides, their experiences could be invested in the development of medical departments and training of health practitioners. He further explained that there are certain visiting physicians attracted by the Ministry to work permanently in the Kingdom, especially those known for their competence. The program attracts also distinguished competencies from international centers and institutions.
It is worth mentioning that the number of Saudi visiting physicians under internal contracts since Rajab 1431H until Shawwal 1433H has reached 566 physicians. Whereas the number of non-Saudi visiting physicians, working under temporary contracts, has mounted to 687 physicians: 251 consultant physicians have been attracted from Egypt, 243 from Jordan, 109 from the United States, and 84 consultant physicians from Pakistan.