JEDDAH — The head of the emergency and crisis department at Jeddah Health Affairs said 720 cases were transferred from government to private hospitals last year. Dr. Mohammad Bajbair said the health directorate would bear the transfer costs. He pointed out that regulations state that if a bed is not available for patients at government hospitals in intensive care or neonatal units, they will be transferred to other specialized centers or private hospitals at the government's expense. Heads of emergency units, he added, are authorized to approve transfers and if private hospitals cannot accommodate cases, they are transferred to neighboring cities like Makkah and Taif. He stated accidents represent the majority of cases in intensive care units at Jeddah's government hospitals. “Jeddah government hospitals are receiving a number of cases from nearby areas like Rabigh, Yanbu, Al-Laith and Qunfudah and this puts more pressure on the availability of beds in intensive care units,” he said. Bajbair noted there is continuous cooperation between Jeddah Health Affairs and the Saudi Red Crescent, which is authorized to transfer urgent cases to the nearest government or private hospital if any delay in medical treatment would threaten the patient's life. If the patient is a Saudi citizen the government will bear medical costs, while insurance companies should cover expatriates in need of urgent treatment. He said the Ministry of Health has allocated a number, 937, for emergency cases. In general, on duty hospital heads normally deal with such situations but some patients call this number before talking to the hospital head, said Bajbair. He noted his department conducts two drills a week at a chosen government and private hospital to ensure their readiness for any emergency. These drills have revealed a number of shortcomings and have developed staff's response to emergencies. He said his department's goals are to provide the highest possible emergency care for patients and coordinate their transfer to other hospitals when needed.
