Longitudinal Regional Trends in Healthcare Capacity and Recorded Service Utilization in the Saudi Ministry of Health, 2016-2024.

Background/

Objectives

Regional monitoring is needed to determine how Ministry of Health (MoH) healthcare supply and recorded service utilization changed during Saudi Arabia's health-sector transformation. This descriptive study examines selected indicators relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3: good health and well-being).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective longitudinal ecological study with descriptive analysis using data from all 13 administrative regions from 2016 to 2024. Eight MoH indicators were harmonized from statistical yearbooks and examined as absolute counts and population-adjusted rates. Period-specific comparisons, capacity-to-utilization ratios, and an analysis excluding the 2024 endpoint were also conducted.

Results

Nationally, hospitals increased by 5.8%, beds by 12.1%, physicians by 78.1%, and nurses by 20.5%, whereas primary healthcare (PHC) centers declined by 6.6%. Recorded PHC encounters decreased by 17.2%, while outpatient department visits and inpatient admissions increased by 15.6% and 60.4%, respectively. After population adjustment, physicians per 10,000 population increased by 56.1%, nurses per 10,000 by 5.6%, and admissions per 1000 by 40.7%; beds per 1000 decreased by 1.7%, PHC encounters per person decreased by 27.4%, and outpatient visits per person increased by 1.4%. A marked change in recorded values occurred during 2020, and several measures changed sharply again in 2024.

Conclusions

The selected MoH supply and recorded service utilization indicators followed different national and regional trajectories. The observed differences identify monitoring priorities; they do not establish causal effects or changes in access, equity, efficiency, or quality.