Utilization of hospital resources: a survey‐based study of Saudi hospitals in Riyadh City

Abstract

Purpose This paper seeks to show that there is inappropriate utilization of resources in hospitals in all three health care sectors (whether Ministry of Health, military or private). Such misuses can be tracked down by understanding the factors associated with such utilization. Design/methodology/approach The results were based on the assessment of some of the health staff and it could be argued that the rate of inappropriate utilization of hospital resources would have been different if it had been based on the patients' own assessments. Findings The results of this study show that regardless of the hospital type (or ownership), a substantial percentage of respondents perceive that hospital resources are inappropriately utilized. In fact, more than half of respondents in the three health care sectors indicate that the utilization of hospital resources is inappropriate. These results are inline with previous research which reported that the patient or the patient's family can contribute to unnecessary utilization by pressuring the physician to admit or by delaying discharge. In addition, although not examined in this study, patient characteristics such as lack of family support, age and lack of a health post‐discharge influence inappropriate hospital utilization. Practical implications If overutilization or underutilization continues in this vein, it will markedly increase the burden on these hospitals and adversely affect the delivery of health services to the Saudi population. Originality/value While several studies in different countries have described the problem of inappropriate utilization of hospital facilities, no previous studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appear to have discussed this issue other than the present study.