Risk management and infection control preparedness of Saudi healthcare facilities to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preparedness of Saudi healthcare facilities to handle the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Between April and June 2020, a cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi hospitals using an online-administered English-language questionnaire by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. The questionnaire evaluates all aspects of risk management, infection control and preventative programmes that should be known and practised by all healthcare workers (HCWs). All HCWs in Saudi hospitals designated to accept patients with COVID-19 were involved in the study. RESULTS: In total, 161 HCWs responded to the survey. General understanding of hospital risk management plans and infection prevention measures was found to be outstanding (80.4%), with no differences in responses by gender, education or occupation. Some differences in responses were found by age group and years of working experience. Most responses were from hospitals located in the Central Province (72.7%) and governmental hospitals (88%), and most provided family services (68%). Furthermore, the results showed that medical professionals received adequate training, which is recognized as the baseline for effective risk management and infection control and prevention procedures, policies and recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Notwithstanding small differences between HCWs, this study found that all HCWs in Saudi hospitals had excellent knowledge of risk management plans and pandemic sub-plans of infection control and prevention policies, procedures and principles, which has aided the health authorities in Saudi Arabia in mitigating COVID-19 effectively.