The Expat Wife Life: The Doctor Experience

And.... we're back! Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. I wanted to have some photos to go along with my descriptions, and it took me a little while to get it all together!

One of the scariest parts of moving abroad is that frightening question, "What if I (or my kids) need medical attention?" This one possible scenario spurs a plethora of questions - Where do I go? How will I be treated? Will they speak English? How does insurance work? How do I make an appointment? How long will I have to wait?

If you've been in Saudi any length of time you will also ask these questions - Can I go without my husband? Are they open during prayer time? Can my husband be in the room with me during a procedure?

Equipping yourself with some knowledge of the process can help calm your nerves and give you an idea of what to expect when you find yourself dealing with something that your OTC medicine kit at home just isn't good enough for.

Pharmacies - The Unexpected Solution

Interestingly, Saudi (and many, many countries outside of the US) have much more relaxed prescription laws; therefore their pharmacists are a very robust resource for many of your medical needs and questions. Other than narcotics and heavy duty pain killers, many medicines are available directly from a pharmacist without a prescription. Not necessarily the brand name but probably a generic form.

Here's an example - if you have had the wonderful experience of a UTI, you pretty much know the symptoms and can tell when it's bad enough that your cranberry juice just isn't going to cut it. Your next thought would be this set of events - make an appointment, arrange a car, go to the doctor, wait forever, submit your lab samples, wait some more, get a prescription, go to the pharmacy, finally get you medicine.

Because the pharmacist in Saudi is less restricted, here is the chain of events - make an appointment, arrange a car, go to the doctor, wait forever, submit your lab samples, wait some more, get a prescription, go to the pharmacy, tell them your symptoms/show them the generic name of the medicine you want, get your medicine.

Now of course there is the caveat that you should really see a doctor when you aren't sure of your issue. I'm not suggesting that self-medicating is always the answer, but the pharmacists are very helpful at listening to your symptoms and helping you choose the right solution for you. They aren't doctors, and of course doctors have their place, but it's good to know that in a society that can make things much more complicated when they don't need to be, this is one way that things can be much quicker!

One last note - the culture here is VERY keen on antibiotics and the famous Z-Pack. I once went into a pharmacy asking for cough drops and left with medicated cough drops, cough syrup, a decongestant and a Z-pack - all without a prescription. You must be very on top of what they are giving you. We nearly always bring the medicine home and Google the generic drug name on the package to verify dosage and necessity. Sometimes we take all the meds they give, but usually we pass on a few and opt instead of some OTC meds from the States that we bring back with us.

Visiting the Doctor

In the next sections, I'm going to try to give some general advice and information on various topics regarding medical care. Some of these are based on experience, and I will try to indicate that. As with everything in Saudi, experiences vary widely based on the patient, time of day, nurses, doctors, etc. Just keep that in mind.

Making an Appointment

This varies depending on the location. I'm going to explain the procedure for two common hospitals - Al Mouwasat Hospital in Jubail and Saad Specialist Hospital in Al Khobar.

Appointments at Mouwasat (Jubail)

The doctors' offices (or "clinic") are inside the main hospital near the ER. Instead of calling ahead and booking an appointment, most doctors at Mouwasat work on a first-come-first-served basis. When you arrive, you go to either the main reception (men) or the Female Reception (for women). Once it's your turn (and yes, you will deal with lots of line cutting and pushing - just be ready for it), you give them your iqama and insurance card and tell them your doctor's name. If you are an established patient, this process is fairly quick. The first time will take a little bit longer and you may want to have your husband's iqama with you just in case (since he is the sponsored employee under whom the insurance resides). Once you have booked your appointment and been told your number in line (remember your number, some of the doctors use them to call you into the office), you will be given a "clinic number" - this is just the office number of the doctor you will see.

Mouwasat - Registration desks inside clinic entrance (photo: Mouwasat.com)

Mouwasat - waiting area near pediatric clinics

Mouwasat - vaccination room on pediatric hallway - all vaccinations are done in this room, not by your doctor

Mouwasat - poor quality, but it shows you the number signs above the door where you look for your number

Mouwasat - as common in all of Saudi, there are female waiting areas in all hospitals. If you choose to wait here, give your doctor's nurse a heads up.

Appointments at Saad Specialist Hospital (Khobar)

Things at Saad work a little differently. You DO need an appointment ahead of time, and given the hour and a half drive to get there, it's nice to know you have a guaranteed appointment. 

To find a doctor, ask around or visit the Saad Hospital Website. They have a great Doctor Directory that lists all doctors by department. You can read about their education and degrees and most male doctors have pictures so you can recognize the doctor you want to see.

Once you've chosen a doctor, you will need to call the appointment desk (phone number on the website) and request an appointment. They have a good phone system with an english option that will get you to the right department's booking desk. When they ask for your file number, tell them you are a "new patient". They should tell you to then come early and register. I will explain that in a minute.

A quick note about Saad and insurance - sometimes the two don't play nice together. Depending on your company's program, you may either choose to go in and deal with this in person when you register - or in our case, my husband's company offers a way to pay cash for overseas doctor visits and then get reimbursed. Just try to figure it out - if you need cash once you arrive, there is an ATM inside the clinic doors for your convenience.

Saad Hospital Clinic - Revolving door on the left is the entrance. (photo: alliedhealth.co.za)

Registration at Saad Hospital (Khobar)

The first time you go to an appointment at Saad Hospital, try to arrive at least 30-45 minutes early for registration. When you walk inside the Clinic doors, you will see an array of desks to your left. Find a worker who looks you in the eye and tell them you have an appointment but are a new patient and need to register. They will have you fill out some paperwork - be sure to have your iqama and insurance card with you.

Saad Hospital - Registration desks (photo: nursesky.com)

Seeing the Doctor

In the US, we are used to waiting in the front room of a doctor's office for a little bit, then being moved to a maze of tiny rooms where you wait again to finally see the doctor as he swoops in for his whopping 10 minutes and then moves on. Things in Saudi are a bit different.

First, you do all your waiting in the front room. Then, when it's your turn to see the doctor, you will enter his/her office/exam room. Most doctors have a desk with chairs in front where you begin your appointment describing your issues and complaints as either the doctor or his/her nurse takes notes. All doctors will have a nurse in the room during your visit (I haven't heard of any that didn't - they can leave to get things the doctor asks for). 

This initial interview can be short or long - depends on the doctor. Then they may ask you to move to the exam table to take a closer look at you. They will diagnose you, describe your course of treatment, give you a prescription (maybe) and send you on your way!

Filling a Prescription

If you have a prescription, the best course is to fill it at the hospital where you saw the doctor. Each hospital has their own in-house pharmacy and they can point you to it. If you get lost, just ask a nurse in white - they are generally friendly and have decent english.

Depending on your insurance, you may get the medicine for free or will ask you to pay. Occasionally they won't have the medicine the doctor prescribed so they will tell you to go to an outside pharmacy. 

Final Thoughts

I hope this is helpful! Of course, everyone has their own experiences and preferences for doctors. Personal recommendations remain the best way to find a doctor - regardless of country! It may seem scary, but the best way to get more comfortable with the system, is to use it. Choosing to go see a doctor with a general cold, sinus infection or other minor ailment will help you gain experience in the system so that if a serious situation arises, you can make decisions with less anxiety about the general process.