Riyadh Health Affairs conducted 30,600 home visits to follow-up patients' conditions as per a treatment plan developed by the treating doctor. The plan aims to evaluate falling and bedsore cases, to treat them and prevent their reoccurrence through communication with patients and educating home-care providers about the patient's condition, how to care for him, as well as about drug dispensing and safe storage. In addition, the plan is designed to follow-up patients' nutrition, to evaluate their health status by therapeutic nutritionist, to provide physiotherapy treatment, and to change urinary catheterization and feeding tubes.
According to the Affairs, a new service was introduced early 2018, which is an intravenous treatment for patients in need. The service also includes providing medical devices and equipment, as well as therapeutic feeding for patients in need, in cooperation with 32 public hospitals inside and outside Riyadh, which provide home services to over 3,700 patients, added the Affairs.
It is noted that, over the past year, MOH's Home Medicine Program conducted 311,522 home visits by 320 medical teams (2,000 visits a day). The service is provided by 213 hospitals across the Kingdom. Since 1430H., MOH has provided home medicine services through a qualified medical team across the Kingdom to the eligible patients at their homes and among their families; in an endeavor to enhance their physical and mental health conditions, and to give them and their families peace of mind. Furthermore, the program increases the bed usability turn-over; thus, helping MOH serve more patients at less costs.
It is worth mentioning that the home medicine departments and sections across the Kingdom provide healthcare to patients with the engagement of their families, and meet their needs, in terms of medication and devices, which positively reflects on patients’ psychological, social and health conditions.