Sir,
Healthcare delivery system has become more complex, and will become even more so in the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era, especially as more becomes known and therefore, having more to deal with.[1] This complexity will have to be met with unavoidable continual changes in the healthcare delivery system.[2]
These changes in the healthcare system will be significant for some time to come. The new model of healthcare system in Saudi Arabia 2017 as presented by the Ministry of Health[3] needs to be revisited in the post-COVID era.[4,5] The expected that the sequelae of COVID-19 are expected to last for 2–3 years as was the case with the Spanish Flu of 1918–1920.[6]
Careful thought and consideration should be given to the use of community-based service for the care of COVID-19 patients as an alternative for hospital-based services.[7,8,9]
At present, there is a new drive for changes to be made in the Saudi health system taking into account the following conditions: availability, quality, cost of services, the accessibility of that service to the citizens, and the feasibility of integrating the envisaged changes into other services.[10]
The leadership in family and community medicine should be at the forefront in formulating those changes. The real challenge is how to merge the various aspects of the modifications, including the site of the practice, the context of daily practice, and the organizational in order, to deliver these services to COVID-19 patients, and how to develop a special program to prevent COVID-19 transmission both at the individual level and in the community.[11,12]
These organizational changes should be planned and presented to the higher authority as part of the study of organizations that have had to make frequent changes, with a view to emulating the manner in which those organizations have effected those changes.[13]
Post-COVID-19 changes will be part of the future of all our lives. It will no longer be a random event in the health system or economic or financial or educational system.[14]
Post-COVID times will be an era of constant change, making it necessary for the leader of a healthcare system in Saudi Arabia to be prepared for any event and be willing to keep their organization receptive to change even in the design of a hospital and the type of healthcare system adopted.[15]
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References
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