Health Policy Development During COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: Mixed Methods Analysis

Abstract

Healthcare systems are increasingly required to utilize effective approaches, apply evidence-based practice, and consequently sustain successful strategic management. Document analysis provides insights into the effective management tools applied by agencies to respond to crises. This article provides a practical exploration of how the Saudi health authority applied effective measures to eventually reduce the administrative and clinical consequences while managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The conceptual descriptive framework was based on health policy triangle of Walt and Gilson. Official reports and supporting documents issued by the Saudi government toward COVID-19 were operationally analyzed. Moreover, five healthcare professional experts were invited in a semistructured interview to assess the strategic steps that have been utilized to minimize the health risk by conducting a healthcare risk analysis. Various documents showed that two major entities were responsible for managing regulations and medications of COVID-19 in addition to six other entities that were partially involved. Although each entity was approved to work independently, their efforts were cohesively associated with each other. Most documents were well-applied on personal, social, organizational, and national strata. However, it is unclear how lessons identified became affirmative, while the collaboration remains vague, especially under the emergence of a new entity such as the Public Health Authority. Healthcare professional experts also positively supported the effectiveness of such policies to confront COVID-19 through the following three domains: health guidelines, utilizing simulation (telehealth/telecommunication) services, and ensuring continuity of services.