Evaluation of the Reporting System of Chemical Poisoning and Drug Safety Program in the Governmental and Private Hospitals in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Chemical poisoning is a major health issue. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the reporting system of chemical poisoning and drug safety program (CSP) in the governmental and private hospitals in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia in the period from January to June 2022. we included 30 governmental and private hospitals that included more than 150 beds. To collect data, this study used a 17-item evaluation form that was approved and used by the Saudi Ministry of Health to evaluate the reporting systems in the hospitals in the country.

Results: Regarding the Reporting system in the public health departments (PHD), the Ministry of Health (MOH) memo for reporting cases of chemical and drug overdose is present in 80% of the hospitals, 30% reported that samples sent to the toxicology center are received. Regarding the Reporting system in the emergency department, 46.7% reported that death cases are immediately reported to the PHD. Regarding the Reporting system in hospital laboratory, 46.5% reported that chemical and drug overdose samples are sent to the Toxicology Center. Reporting system in the public health department and Reporting system in the emergency department were better in the Private hospitals (p =0.042 and p=0.045, respectively).

Conclusion: Low adherence was found in the recruited hospitals. Less adherence was found in the governmental hospitals, particularly in the reporting system in the public health departments and the reporting system in the emergency departments. Some hospitals scored low in the three domains of the evaluation form.