EMERGENCY MEDICINE IN KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: AN ERA OF DEVELOPMENT AND A BRIGHT THERAPY FOR THE FUTURE. AN APPRAISAL

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the intergender variation of on-scenetime (OST) for highly urgent emergency cases conveyed by emergency medical services (EMS) in Saudi Arabia and to assess other predictors of OST and hypothesis for possible factors delaying OST. Design: A retrospective population-based registry study. Setting: Riyadh Province is the largest provincein terms of population and the second in terms ofgeographical area. Participants: All highly urgent transported patients from the scene to emergency departments, be they medical emergencies or trauma emergencies during 2018. Outcome Measure:OST difference between men and women transported by EMS. Although emergency medical services (EMS) and pre-hospital care have existed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since 1934, emergency medicine (EM) is a relatively new medical field in the country that was not formally recognized as a medical specialty until 2001. In 2005, the Saudi Board of Emergency Medicine formed to develop, implement, and evaluate a standardized curriculum for EM residents. Since then, EM and the pre-hospital system in the KSA has evolved and grown. This article provides an overview of emergency medicine in Saudi Arabia and the progress it has made in the pre-hospital system, healthcare delivery system, and emergency medicine training. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities faced as this specialty continues to develop.