The Importance of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Saudi Healthcare Settings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.4844Keywords:
Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Healthcare Teams, Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030, Patient Outcomes, Patient SafetyAbstract
Interdisciplinary collaboration is a critical imperative for the advancement of Saudi Arabia's healthcare system, directly supporting the ambitious quality and efficiency goals of Vision 2030. Moving beyond siloed, profession-centric models to integrated, team-based care is essential for addressing the complex burden of chronic diseases, enhancing patient safety, and optimizing resource utilization. Effective collaboration, grounded in mutual respect and structured communication, leads to superior patient outcomes, including reduced errors, improved management of conditions like diabetes and heart disease, and higher satisfaction. While challenges such as traditional hierarchies, insufficient interprofessional education, and systemic barriers exist, strategic investments in team training, collaborative technologies, and supportive leadership can foster a sustainable culture of partnership. Ultimately, cultivating robust interdisciplinary teams is not merely an operational improvement but a foundational strategy for building a resilient, patient-centered healthcare system that safeguards the well-being of the Saudi population and ensures the long-term success of national health reforms.
References
1. Barnett T, Hoang H, Stuart J, Crocombe L. “Sorry, I'm not a dentist”: perspectives of rural GPs on oral health in the bush. Med J Australia. 2016;204(1):26.
2. Al Agili DE, Farsi NJ. Need for dental care drives utilisation of dental services among children in Saudi Arabia. Int Dent J. 2020;70:183–192.
3. Meyer BD, Wang R, Steiner MJ, Preisser JS. The effect of physician oral health services on dental use and expenditures under general anesthesia. JDR Clin Transl Res. 2020;5(2):146–155.
4. Shimpi N, Schroeder D, Kilsdonk J, Chyou PH, Glurich I, Penniman E, Acharya A. Medical Providers' Oral health knowledgeability, attitudes, and practice behaviors: an opportunity for Interprofessional collaboration. J Evid Based Dental Pract. 2016;16(1):19–29.
5. Almazrooa SA, Binmadi NO. The knowledge and attitude of physicians’ toward the oral medicine specialty. J Oral Maxillofac Surg Med Pathol. 2021;33(1):83–88.
6. Rabiei S, Mohebbi SZ, Patja K, Virtanen JI. Physicians' knowledge of and adherence to improving oral health. BMC Public Health. 2012;12:855.
7. Bakhurji EA, Al-Saif HM, Al-Shehri MA, Al-Ghamdi KM, Hassan MM. Infant oral healthcare and anticipatory guidance practices among dentists in a pediatric care shortage area. Int J Dentistry. 2021;2021.
8. Zakirulla M, Laheq MT, Assiri MNM, Al-Alhinyah SAN, Aldowsari M, Alzakari FI, Almobty RA, Almobty RA, Hummadi KA, Abu-Hawi RH, Ali WN, Lahiq AM, Ghubri MA, Asiri MA, Alzahrani EA, Shabab RM, Fathi AA. Oral health care knowledge among nurses in the pediatric intensive care units in Abha, Saudi Arabia. J Res Med Dent Sci, 2021, 9(6): 7–14.
9. Emami E, Harnagea H, Girard F, et al. Integration of oral health into primary care: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. 2016;6:e013807.
10. World Health Organization European Office for Integrated Health Care Services. Integrated care. working definition. World health organization, 2001.
11. World Health Organization. Integrated health services—what and why. Making health systems work. World Health Organization, 2008.
12. Loken SY, Wang NJ, Wigen TI. Health nurses’ experiences and attitudes regarding collaboration with dental personnel. BMC Oral Health. 2016;16(1):66.
13. Harnagea H, Couturier Y, Shrivastava R, Girard F, Lamothe L, Bedos CP, Emami E. Barriers and facilitators in the integration of oral health into primary care: a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2017.
14. Alshunaiber R, Alzaid H, Meaigel S, Aldeeri A, Adlan A. Early childhood caries and infant’s oral health; pediatricians’ and family physicians’ practice, knowledge and attitude in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Dental J. 2019;31:S96–105.
15. Bhagat V, Hoang H, Crocombe LA, Goldberg LR. Incorporating oral health care education in undergraduate nursing curricula-a systematic review. BMC Nurs. 2020;19(1):1–3.
16. Peres MA, Macpherson LM, Weyant RJ, Daly B, Venturelli R, Mathur MR, Listl S, Celeste RK, Guarnizo-Herreño CC, Kearns C, Benzian H. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. Lancet. 2019;394(10194):249–260.
17. Alkhazim MA, Althubaiti A. Continuing medical education in Saudi Arabia: experiences and perception of participants. Journal of Health Specialties. 2014;2(1):13.
18. Yimenu DK, Adelo ES, Siraj EA, Kassie TA, Hammeso WW, Demeke CA, Emiru YK. Health professionals oral health knowledge and practice: unleashing the hidden challenges. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2020;13:459–469.
19. Al Agili DE. A systematic review of population-based dental caries studies among children in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Dent J. 2013;25:3–11.
20. Al Rababah DM, Nassani MZ, Baker OG, Alhelih EM, Almomani SA, Rastam S. Attitudes and practices of nurses toward oral care of hospitalized patients: a cross-sectional survey in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia J Educ Health Promot. 2018;7:149.
21. Alshathri B, Aljasser N, Kofi M. Knowledge of oral health among family medicine physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2020. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(9):4761–4768.
22. Shi L. The impact of primary care: a focused review. Scientifica. 2012;31:2012.
23. Baseer MA, Alenazy MS, Alasqah M, Algabbani M, Mehkari A. Oral health knowledge, attitude and practices among health professionals in King Fahad Medical City. Riyadh Dent Res J (Isfahan) 2012;9(4):386–392.
24. Poudel P, Griffiths R, Wong VW, et al. Perceptions and practices of general practitioners on providing oral health care to people with diabetes - a qualitative study. BMC Fam Pract. 2020;21:34.
25. Smith T, McNeil K, Mitchell R, Boyle B, Ries N. A study of macro-, meso-and micro-barriers and enablers affecting extended scopes of practice: the case of rural nurse practitioners in Australia. BMC Nurs. 2019;18(1):1–2.
26. Uribe SE, Innes N, Maldupa I. The global prevalence of early childhood caries: a systematic review with meta‐analysis using the WHO diagnostic criteria. Int J Paediatric Dentistry. 2021.
27. Duangthip D, Chu CH. Challenges in oral hygiene and oral health policy. Front Oral Health. 2020;1:575428.
28. Dörfer C, Benz C, Aida J, Campard G. The relationship of oral health with general health and NCDs: a brief review. Int Dent J. 2017;67(Suppl 2):14–18.
29. Prasad M, Manjunath C, Murthy AK, Sampath A, Jaiswal S, Mohapatra A. Integration of oral health into primary health care: a systematic review. J Fam Med Primary Care. 2019;8(6):1838.
30. Andrade C, Menon V, Ameen S, Kumar PS. Designing and conducting knowledge, attitude, and practice surveys in psychiatry: practical guidance. Indian J Psychol Med. 2020;42(5):478–481.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Computational and Experimental Science and Engineering

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.