Article 27 of the Saudi Private Health Institutions Law
المادة 27 من نظام المؤسسات الصحية الخاصة
A private health institution must enable health practitioners to attend continuing medical education programs in their specialty, inside or outside the Kingdom, as the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties determines.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تلتزم المؤسسة الصحية الخاصة بتمكين الممارسين الصحيين من حضور برامج التعليم الطبي المستمر في مجال تخصصهم، سواء داخل المملكة أو خارجها، وفقًا لما تحدده الهيئة السعودية للتخصصات الصحية .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 27 explained in plain English
This article places an obligation on the private health institution for the benefit of developing health practitioners.
The obligation: to enable health practitioners to attend continuing medical education programs.
Its controls as stated:
- The programs must be in their specialty.
- Whether inside or outside the Kingdom.
- As the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties determines.
What does "enable" mean? That the institution must not prevent its practitioners from attending these programs, and must make it possible for them. The details of enabling, such as the number of hours, the approved programs or bearing the costs, are not mentioned in the article, which refers to what the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties determines.
The beneficiaries are "health practitioners", a term wider than doctors, so it covers other health practitioners.
The reason for the rule is clear: that practitioners keep abreast of developments in their specialties, which is reflected in the quality of service.
It is preceded by Article 26, which requires the institution to explain to anyone it wants to contract with the provisions of the Labor Law, the procedures manual and the job description before contracting, and followed by Article 28, which requires hospitals to have a medical library and subscribe to scientific periodicals, and other institutions to provide the basic periodicals. These articles together are concerned with developing the health staff and their knowledge.
Practical example
A physical therapy specialist working at a private center in Khobar received an invitation to attend a continuing medical education program in her specialty outside the Kingdom. The center must enable her to attend, as the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties determines.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 27 of the Saudi Private Health Institutions Law
Must a private hospital allow a doctor to attend conferences?
The institution must enable health practitioners to attend continuing medical education programs in their specialty, inside or outside the Kingdom, as the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties determines.
Who sets the controls for continuing medical education?
The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
More articles on Medical Staff in Private Institutions
- Article 8
A private health institution may not employ doctors, other health practitioners or pharmacists until they hold a license from the Ministry to practice the profession.
لا يجوز للمؤسسة الصحية الخاصة تشغيل الأطباء أو غيرهم من الممارسين الصحيين والصيادلة إلا بعد حصولهم على ترخيص من الوزارة بمزاولة المهنة.
- Article 10
A hospital must provide the necessary number of resident doctors, specialists, consultants, pharmacists, technicians, nurses and supporting health staff according to its capacity and classification grade, under the Regulations' standards.
يلتزم المستشفى بتوفير العدد اللازم من الأطباء المقيمين، والاخصائيين، والاستشاريين، والصيادلة، والفنيين، والممرضين، والعمالة الصحية المساندة، وغيرها من الخدمات ا
- Article 14
Licensing a general or specialized medical complex requires at least a consultant in each licensed main specialty and a nurse for each clinic; in remote areas set by the Ministry the consultants may be reduced to one or specialists may suffice.
يشترط للترخيص لأي من المجمع الطبي العام والمجمع الطبي المتخصص أن يتوافر فيه- على الأقل- استشاري في كل من التخصصات الرئيسة المرخص بها، وأن يخصص ممرض أو ممرضة على
- Article 15
Laboratory, radiology center, day-surgery center and supporting health services, of any type, must be provided by licensed specialists in the profession, and the Regulations set the conditions, qualifications and work procedures.
يقدم خدمات المختبر مركز الأشعة ومركز جراحة اليوم الواحد والخدمات الصحية المساندة أيًّا كان نوعها؛ متخصصون في المهنة مرخص لهم بذلك، وتحدد اللائحة التنفيذية شروط
- Article 26
A private health institution must explain the provisions of the Labor Law, the procedures manual, the job description and related laws in force in the Kingdom to anyone it wants to contract with, before contracting.
يجب على كل مؤسسة صحية خاصة أن توضح أحكام نظام العمل والعمال لمن تريد التعاقد معه، وكذلك دليل الإجراءات والوصف الوظيفي والأنظمة ذات العلاقة المعمول بها في المملك
- Article 28
All hospitals must have a medical library and subscribe to suitable scientific periodicals in their specialty; other health institutions must provide the basic scientific periodicals related to their specialty.
تلتزم جميع المستشفيات بإيجاد مكتبة طبية داخلها، كما تلتزم بالاشتراك في الدوريات العلمية المناسبة في مجال تخصصها. أما المؤسسات الصحية الأخرى فعليها توفير الدوريا
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.