Governance and Accountability in a Saudi Public Healthcare Setting: Patients' Perspectives

Accountability (a subset of governance) has become an important aspect of public service reform, and a higher level of accountability has been cited as a factor in improving the efficiency of healthcare systems. In that general context, accountability is explored in public health organizations through a case study of King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC) in Mecca. The study focuses on identifying key dimensions that influence accountability from the perspective of outpatients in relation to four overarching concerns (dimensions): Medical Professionals, Administration and Management, Legal Enforcement and Ethical Issues, and Government Action. The analysis is based on quantitative data collected from 440 KAMC outpatients using an online survey questionnaire designed especially for this study. The study's main findings indicate that with the exception of Administration and Management, all the accountability dimensions showed a high level of agreement from patients that indicated a satisfactory level of accountability at KAMC. However, Administration and Management was found to be an area in need of significant improvement at the focal institution. Further, the findings underscore the effectiveness of government action, as supported by Vision 2030 in the context of KAMC, in contrast with the findings of other studies in which the challenges related to government initiatives are emphasized (e.g., Nurunnabi & Islam, 2012).