Hospital Stay Against Medical Advice

DG of Health Services and Programmes

Acknowledgement

The directorate general of specialized medical care would like to thank all hospitals, directorates, departments, and staff who reviewed and gave feedback on this document.

Acronyms

MoH

Ministry of Health

PRO

Public Relation Officer

SAMA

Stay Against Medical Advice

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

1 - Introduction

Patients who refuse to leave the hospital can impose a unique challenge to hospital staff and to the health system in general. These patients can disturb the routine hospital functions by interrupting the normal flow of patients and reducing access to care by creating a shortage in admission beds. They can also frustrate hospital staff and consume hospital resources needlessly. Moreover, these patients can put themselves at risk of the consequences that may arise from unnecessary hospital stay such as the risk of exposure to hospital-acquired infections. Therefore, a careful and comprehensive approach should be implemented when dealing with these patients in order to facilitate the process of discharging them safely and effectively.