The Health Ministry ordered on Monday a host of quick measures to curb overcrowding in health centers, and offer better services to patients all over the Kingdom.

These measures include extending regular working hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at certain departments like outpatient clinics to 5:30 p.m. and adding a new shift from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to serve external patients. Some of these clinics may even open these departments during the weekends.

However, the time extension does not apply to all hospitals. It is meant for only those that can prove a need for more working hours at specific times. The increase in hours will be determined by the length of each center’s waiting list of unattended patients during regular working hours at that hospital.

This measure also includes setting deadlines for services that are not considered emergency cases, not exceeding two weeks for waiting lists.

As part of these new regulations, patients will be able to choose an array of different dates for surgery operations depending on the waiting lists.

According to the new criterion, rapid intervention teams will be ready to handle any emergency cases, particularly coronavirus cases, round the clock.

Financial incentives will also be offered to physicians based on their performance when dealing with crammed hospitals as well as normal duty fulfilment.

The ministry emphasized that these measures should be considered by all 19 health directorates across the Kingdom, based on thorough research that will determine each of the center’s needs.

Officials stated that this move comes as part of the ministry’s attempts to ease overcrowding at outpatient clinics and x-ray departments in most of the country’s hospitals.

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