S Ghaffari, A Mohamadzadeh, S Akbari, P Salem Safi, M Yousefi,
Volume 11, Issue 4 (17 2013)
Abstract
Background: The scarcity of resources and growing demand for health care, as well as moral, socioeconomic and political imperatives for efficient use of resources, make cost information and adoption of an accurate methodology an integral part of the modern management.
Materials & Methods: At first, a research protocol including literature review strategies, inclusion and exclusion criteria and data gathering methods, was designed. Afterwards, using an electronic search of several databases, some relevant studies were identified.
Results: In the costing literature the economic and accounting approaches are distinguishable. Two methods of marginal and average unit cost analyses are attributable to these approaches. Considering the type of the problem to be decided about and cost targets, costing methods can be different. Factors such as types of cost analyses and economic evaluation, timing overview, analysis approach and advantage or disadvantage of economy of scale have a significant role in determining the costs.
Conclusion: Having no consensus of opinion on the most appropriate principles to use in costing process is one of the main challenges of the time. There is a trade-off between the accuracy and cost of achieving cost information... Therefore, standardization of costing methodologies and adoption of comprehensive approaches for the main issues will predispose an economical international and organizational comparability.
Ali Ghaffarian, Azam Cheraghi, Masoud Ferdosi,
Volume 23, Issue 2 (8-2024)
Abstract
Background and purpose: Accreditation is one of the most widely recognized and reliable methods for evaluating the quality of hospital services. However, its implementation is often accompanied by various challenges for hospitals. This study aimed to identify the challenges associated with accreditation in small and single-specialty hospitals from the perspective of those involved in the process.
Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted with the participation of 30 individuals, including hospital staff, national accreditation evaluators, and experts from the Ministry of Health's Monitoring and Accreditation Office. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and individual sessions. Content analysis was used to process the data, which was analyzed using Max-QDA software (version 20).
Results: The accreditation challenges of small hospitals were categorized into four main themes: "accreditation process," "human resources," "structural issues," and "financial constraints." For single-specialty hospitals, challenges were grouped into three themes: "accreditation process," "human resources," and "uniformity of accreditation standards." Common challenges for both hospital types included low staff motivation, insufficient training in accreditation procedures, and issues related to evaluators.
Conclusion: In addition to general accreditation challenges, small and single-specialty hospitals face unique obstacles due to their specific conditions and inherent differences from other hospitals. To ensure the successful implementation of accreditation programs in Iran, policymakers should thoroughly examine the identified challenges and incorporate these insights into national hospital accreditation planning and implementation strategies.
