Multidisciplinary Healthcare Collaboration and Patient Safety in Saudi Public Hospitals: Roles of Neurology, General Practice, Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy Technology, and Health Administration

Abstract

Background: Preventable harm in hospitals commonly arises from fragmented information, delayed escalation, diagnostic error, medication-related failures, and weak transitions of care. These risks are particularly important in complex public hospital systems in which multiple professional groups contribute to a single episode of care.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a Saudi-contextualized conceptual framework that integrates neurology, general practice, laboratory sciences, nursing, pharmacy technology, and health administration to strengthen patient safety in public hospitals.

Methods: An integrative narrative review and conceptual synthesis were undertaken using international patient-safety guidance, peer-reviewed evidence on interprofessional collaboration, and Saudi studies addressing safety culture, communication, medication safety, primary care, and hospital transformation. The evidence was mapped to the structure-process-outcome model and translated into a closed-loop multidisciplinary framework. Results: The proposed framework comprises six interdependent professional domains supported by shared governance, standardized communication, interoperable clinical information, multidisciplinary safety huddles, escalation pathways, medication reconciliation, critical-result management, and continuous outcome measurement. Neurology provides time-sensitive specialist decision-making; general practice preserves whole-person continuity; laboratory sciences secure reliable diagnostic information; nursing supplies continuous surveillance and coordination; pharmacy technology protects the medication-use pathway; and health administration provides governance, resources, accountability, and implementation infrastructure. The framework specifies process and outcome indicators for staged evaluation.

Conclusion: Patient safety in Saudi public hospitals can be strengthened by moving from parallel disciplinary work toward explicit shared accountability and closed-loop communication. Prospective pilot studies are required to test feasibility, clinical effectiveness, workforce acceptability, and cost-effectiveness.