ArticleBMC health services research2024
2022 insights on hospital bed distribution in Saudi Arabia: evaluating needs to achieve global standards.
Article in BMC health services research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Equity in the allocation of hospital beds in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene · 2026Pooled it
- National Assessment of Emergency, Intensive Care, and Anesthesia Physician Distribution in Saudi Arabia, 2023: Implications for Emergency Care Access.Emergency medicine international · 2026Article
- Article
- Exploring a Systems-Based Model of Care for Effective Healthcare Transformation: A Narrative Review in Implementation Science of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 Experience.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The 2023 Geographic Distribution of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Saudi Arabia: Implications for Maternal and Neonatal Health Outcomes.Health services insights · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundEquitable geographical distribution of health resources, such as hospital beds, is fundamental in ensuring public accessibility to healthcare services. This study examines the distribution of hospital beds across Saudi Arabia's 20 health regions.
methodsA secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2022 Saudi Ministry of Health Statistical Yearbook. The study focused on calculating the hospital beds-per-1,000-people ratio across Saudi Arabia's 20 health regions. The analysis involved comparing regional bed distributions using the Gini index and Lorenz curve to assess the distribution of hospital beds.
resultsThe national average beds-per-1,000-people ratio was 2.43, serving a population of approximately 32.2 million. The calculated mean Gini index for bed distribution was 0.15, which indicates a relatively equitable distribution. Further analysis revealed some regional disparities, with health regions like Makkah and Jeddah displaying critically low bed-to-population ratios. In contrast, others like Al-Jouf and the Northern region reported higher ratios. The study also identified the need for an additional 17,062 beds to meet international standards of 2.9 beds per 1,000 people.
conclusionsThe findings revealed a national average beds-per-1,000-people ratio of 2.43, with some regional disparities. The study highlights the critical need for targeted healthcare planning and policy interventions to address the uneven distribution of hospital beds across Saudi Arabia.
trial registrationNot applicable.
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