Key result
The community pharmacy sector in Saudi Arabia is transforming into a patient-centered healthcare provider, though clinical services remain underutilized due to various systemic barriers.
Why the study?
The community pharmacy sector in Saudi Arabia is evolving from a traditional dispensing role to a patient-centered healthcare provider aligned with Vision 2030, prompting an examination of this shift across clinical, regulatory, investor, and patient perspectives.
Expanding the role of community pharmacists in Saudi Arabia can improve chronic disease management, but requires standardized regulations, digital integration, and sustainable reimbursement models.
Underutilized clinical pharmacy services in Saudi Arabia warrant targeted barrier reduction; leaves open hypothesis-generating work on scalable implementation models.
Background: The community pharmacy sector in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a significant transformation, evolving from a traditional dispensing role to an integral patient-centered healthcare provider, aligned with the national Vision 2030 objectives. Objectives: This multi-perspective analysis examines this shift from clinical, regulatory, investor, and patient viewpoints. Results: Despite a robust workforce, clinical services remain underutilized due to barriers including inadequate pharmacist knowledge, lack of access to patient records, and absence of reimbursement models for cognitive services. Regulatory bodies like the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) are driving change through initiatives like the Wasfaty e-prescribing system and advanced pharmacist classifications. Evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of pharmacist-led interventions, such as significant reductions in HbA1c and LDL cholesterol in chronic disease management. Patients report high satisfaction and strong demand for expanded services. Future advancement depends on critical factors: standardizing scope-of-practice laws, implementing sustainable reimbursement frameworks through systems like Nphies, integrating digital health technologies, and enhancing public perception of the pharmacist’s role. Conclusion: Coordinated efforts among all stakeholders are essential to fully realize community pharmacy’s potential in improving patient outcomes and supporting Saudi Arabia’sss healthcare transformation.
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Aljehani et al. (2023) reported a review. The community pharmacy sector in Saudi Arabia is transforming into a patient-centered healthcare provider, though clinical services remain underutilized due to various systemic barriers.
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