Saudi: Owner of Private Health Firms Must Be Fulltime Saudi Doctor
Ownership and management of private health firms, including hospitals, clinics, and laboratories, will be restricted to Saudis, according to the new amendments made in the Private Health Institutions Law.
However, this regulation will not be applicable to international health centres and hospitals and their branches in some cities and governorates in the Kingdom. Expatriates can only undertake supervision of the health institutions and that is in the event of the failure in meeting the requirements by Saudis.
The Council of Ministers approved amendments in Article two of the Private Health Institutions Law in this regard. Only a Saudi doctor can own and manage private health institutions. The Saudi doctor shall be specialized in the respective clinical field and shall be engaged in full-time management and supervision of the institution.
According to the amendment, the new rules are applicable to medical complexes, medical laboratories, radiology centres, and one-day surgery centres. But there will be an exemption for international health centres and hospitals and their branches in some cities and governorates in the Kingdom.
The amended law stipulates that there are three conditions required for those who own and manage a health facility. Firstly, the owner shall be a Saudi citizen. Secondly, he/she must be a doctor or professional who is specialized in the designated field of the institution in the capacity of its owner or one of the partners. Thirdly, the owner shall be dedicated to full-time work in the facility.
In the event of the failure of any one of these conditions, a supervisor can be hired from among non-Saudis. This will be in accordance with the executive regulations of the law, it was stated in the amendment.
