The Department of Family Medicine at our client hospital is responsible for approximately 20,000 employees and eligible dependents that present with primary and secondary health care needs. An average of 450-500 patients are now seen in Family Medicine daily for different services. In addition to actually treating ill patients, Family Medicine is responsible for screening all potential local hires, providing preventive medical measures for food handlers, pesticide workers, sewage maintenance personnel, and for following-up tuberculosis and chickenpox contacts. Polyclinics, serving as the gateway to the hospital performs assessment and referrals to the subspecialty clinics for patients requiring tertiary care. It also provides clinical service to patients with inter-current problems and follow-up treatment for patients previously seen in the Emergency Room. An average of 200 patients are now seen in Polyclinics daily for services.
The department includes the following sections:
In Family Medicine, acute and chronic medical care is provided by the Clinic's family medicine, pediatric and gynecological consultants. A referral system provides access, for complicated patients, to be seen in the Hospital's subspecialty clinic. Seriously ill patients are referred to the Emergency Room after consultation with the Emergency Room staff. Working side by side and in collaboration with the team of physicians are experienced multicultural nurses and nurse practitioners. The nursing staff is predominantly responsible for the clinic's extensive Occupational/Preventive Medicine and Infection Control programs. Specialist nurses run the Well Baby/Child Clinics, Well Women Clinics, Antenatal Screening Clinics, Travel Clinic, and the Diabetic Education Clinics. Asthma treatments, wounds and burn care, casting, surgical procedures and IV Therapy (antibiotics and rehydration) are carried out in the Nurse Workroom under the direction of the attending physician.
Polyclinic physicians perform thorough, appropriate and cost effective evaluations of all patients, treating where indicated. The nurse clinics provide complementary clinical services such as vaccination, wound care, dressing change and suture removal for patients discharged from Emergency Medicine Department.
Prior to offering a permanent (1-2 years) contract, the hospital may invite doctors for a one-month locum. This provides an opportunity to visit the hospital, check out the department, and see Riyadh and Saudi Arabia. This gives you the time to decide if all your critical needs and desires such as geography, income potential, practice style, administrative agendas, and community profile line up with your long-term goals.
