Quality of Health Services of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Status, Barriers and Improvement Strategies



Dehnavieh R¹ ; Haghdoost AA² ; Majdzadeh R³ ; Noorihekmat S⁴ ; Ravaghi H⁵ ; Mehrolhasani MH⁶ ; Barati O⁷ ; Salari H⁸ ; Masoud A⁹ ; Poursheikhali A¹⁰ ; Mirshekari N¹¹ ; Ghasemi S¹² ; Esfandiary A¹³
Source: Iranian Journal of Epidemiology Published:2018

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Universal health coverage will have a problem in achieving it’s goals if it doesn’t consider the quality. This study aimed to Background and Objectives: Universal health coverage cannot achieve it’s goals if it doesn’t consider the quality. This study wants to assess the quality of health services in Iran, identify existing challenges and provide solutions. Methods: This study was a mixed qualitative and review study. In the first stage, the national main indicators of the quality of services were reviewed. Then, the orientation of the available upstream documents on the quality of services was explained. The most important challenges, trends, and recommendations of health quality improvement were extracted via interviews. Results: Proper observation of the Iran health care quality requires appropriate framework and indicators. Upstream documents strongly emphasized on the government's responsibility to play a key role as stewardship and that the health system should provide the necessary structural, procedural, and consequential requirements besides determining appropriate model. Quality management programs had obstacles in some aspects like the performance of managers and human resources, structural/communicational requirements, education, payment system, culture, use of quality management indicators and models, financial, information, and equipment resources, laws and regulations, and supervision. Conclusion: Improving the quality of health services in Iran requires strategies in organizing, resource generation, payment, laws and regulations, and behavior of policy makers and planners. Quality tools should be used without haste and should pay attention changes in the nature of diseases, expectations of stakeholders, and increased global attention to this issue in designing related plans. © 2018, Iranian Epidemiological Association. All rights reserved.