Although emergency medical services (EMS) and pre-hospital care have existed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since 1934, emergency medicine (EM) is a relatively new medical field in the country that was not formally recognized as a medical specialty until 2001. In 2005, the Saudi Board of Emergency Medicine formed to develop, implement, and evaluate a standardized curriculum for EM residents. Since then, EM and the pre-hospital system in the KSA has evolved and grown. This article provides an overview of emergency medicine in Saudi Arabia and the progress it has made in the pre-hospital system, healthcare delivery system, and emergency medicine training. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities faced as this specialty continues to develop.

Potential risks for public health incidents, outbreaks, and casualties are inferred at association football events, especially if event organizers have not taken appropriate preventative measures. This review explores the potential risks imposed by mass gathering (MG) football events, with particular emphasis on tools and methodologies to manage the risks of football MG events. Effective planning and implementation of MGs along with the mitigation of risks related to people’s health require special attention to all potential threats, especially in frequent and recurring MG events such as football leagues. The well-being of all participants can be compromised by ignoring a single risk. Healthcare systems should cooperate with all stakeholders and organizations who are involved in MG management and response. Provision of services during MG or a disaster must be performed by trained personnel or entities that have full access to available resources in accessible publicly known locations at the MG event site. Several MG assessment tools were developed worldwide; however, to adapt to the Saudi context, SALEM tool was developed to provide a guide for MG planning and assessment. SALEM assesses the risks of MG events with scores that help to categorize the risk of MG events by offering recommendations for required resources.

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BackgroundHealthcare medical dispatch systems play a fundamental role in the daily operations of prehospital services. This includes facilitating the interpretation of various dispatch-related systems, receiving incident calls, categorizing cases, guiding proper resources deployment, and providing proper instructions before the arrival of healthcare providers. Considering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA’s) health sector transformation plan as part of Vision 2030, developing an Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Program as part of essential prehospital services will allow rapid and competent healthcare delivery. In this study, our purpose is to describe the curriculum development of the EMD Program to improve the training of dispatchers and to share the experience in the interest of better prehospital dispatch systems.MethodsA selected group of education experts and academics in emergency medical services dispatch were assigned to develop an EMD curriculum over six months. This study aims to describe the approach followed in developing an innovative EMD Program to share the experience and ultimately standardize dispatch-related training programs. The data of this study was collected by reviewing approved documents of the EMD Program including program curriculum, syllabus, logbook, and exam blueprint after approval letters received from the Health Academy, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.ResultsThe development of the EMD program utilized a consecutive mixed approach staring with a competency-based with backward design method to ensure the achievement of targeted outcomes followed by the Kern Six-step curriculum development model, namely: (1) problem identification and general need assessment; (2) targeted need assessment; (3) goals and objectives; (4) educational strategies; (5) implementation; and (6) evaluation and feedback. This resulted in four comprehensive modules and seventeen competencies throughout the fourteen-week EMD Program. Conclusion As part of the health sector transformation plan in KSA, EMD services play a fundamental role in the daily operations of prehospital healthcare services. Developing an EMD Program with a consecutive mixed approach including a competency-based with backward design method followed by the Kern Six-step curriculum development model led to a set of learning outcomes in the EMD Program including interpreting various dispatch systems, prioritizing incidents, deploying proper resources, and providing pre-arrival instructions to improve the current operations of EMD services, allow rapid access to healthcare facilities, and ultimately save more lives.

IntroductionTo mitigate morbidity, mortality, and impacts of heat-related illnesses (HRIs) on health, it was vital to implement a comprehensive framework for HRI prevention and control. A recognized tool from the field of trauma prevention known as the Haddon matrix was applied. The matrix states that any event is affected by three factors: host, agent, and environment. In addition, another recognized tool known as the combined model was used in this study. The combined model is a three-dimensional model that includes the idea for the three axes of Haddon's matrix with the methodology of the community risk reduction (CRR) model.Aim of the studyTo identify the environmental and individual risk factors of HRIs based on the Haddon matrix and the recommended prevention strategies by the CRR tool by using the combined model.MethodologyAn extensive literature review was conducted to assess all the risk factors associated with HRI, as well as preventive measures. Then the Haddon matrix was used to structure, separating human factors from technical and environmental details and timing. After that, the combined model was used to set all responses and mitigation measures for each element obtained from the Haddon matrix tool.ConclusionProjected increases in heat stress over the globe require the formulation and implementation of evidence-based HRI mitigation and preventive measures. In this study, we implemented the combined model that was utilized as a systematic strategy for the more theoretical framework of Haddon's matrix. Using the Haddon matrix to determine the HRI risk factors and the combined model to mitigate its impact was practical and helpful in planning, preparedness, and mitigating the HRIs during Hajj, provided a broad approach equivalent to the Swiss cheese model, and would facilitate an informed decision.