Journal of

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Background: In case of disasters hospitals as one of the first centers to admit casualties need to be well prepared. This study aimed to determine the scale of preparedness of the hospitals located in the northern areas of Iran to deal with disasters.
Materials and methods: This applied and cross-sectional study was carried out in 2011. In this study all therapeutic-educational affiliated hospitals of Universities of Semnan, Shahroud, Mazandaran, Babol, and Guilan were investigated using the census method (53 hospitals). The data were collected using instruments were a managers' awareness Questionnaire (40 items) and a 141-item checklist which were filled using the self-assessment method. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software and Mann-Whitney , Kruskal Wallis and Pearson correlation coefficient statistical test.
Results: The average score of managers' awareness of the disaster confronting Preparedness status was 41.89±9.12 and hospital`s preparedness to confront disasters was 56.88±5.12 which show a mediocre level in all hospitals studied. There was a significant relationship (P=0.007) between the awareness of managers and receiving training on management of disasters. The least score was related to field of planning for decreasing structural risks (40.56±29.4 ).Significant relationships were observed between preparedness of hospitals in different universities and management plans for unanticipated events (P=0.047), hospital training program (P=0.019), planning for supporting vital services (P=0.005) and environmental health measures to deal with unanticipated events (P=0.001).
Conclusion: Regarding the previous of disasters in the studied provinces and the mediocre preparedness of the hospitals, educational planning to confront disasters, strengthening the hospital buildings and organizing practical maneuvers will be effective in enhancing the preparation of the hospitals.

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Abstract Background: Several factors have an impact on hospitals` crisis preparedness including the status of “internal factor ”. This study is aimed to investigate the relationship between the status of hospitals `internal factors and their level of preparedness in crisis. Materials and Methods: This correlative, applied, and cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 hospitals of Kurdistan University of Medical Science in 2008. The data were collected using the standard Weisbord questionnaire and hospital preparedness checklist to measure the status of internal factors and the hospitals` level of crisis preparedness ,respectively. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods. Results: Changing internal factors would result in 74% of the changes in level of hospital preparedness in crisis in all studied hospitals . The preparedness level and the organizational structure of the hospital had strongest relationship and preparedness level and personnel’s attitude to changes had the weakest respectively . Conclusions: Hospitals should analyze their internal factors status in order to improve their preparedness level in crisis. Concentrating on different aspects of internal factors, reviewing objectives, improving increasing teamwork, involving personnel in decision-making, using performance-based rewards, forming communication committee, improving leadership styles, training organization `s managers and leaders, and facilitating internal and external coordination could be effective .

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Background: Hospital as core of health and care system requires an effective leadership style and suitable strategy for organizational differences and conflict’ solving. Main goal of this study is to survey of relationship between leadership style and strategy of conflict management among chief executive officers of Urmia hospitals. Materials and Methods: This analytical-descriptive cross-sectional study was implemented in Urmia hospitals in 2013. Study population of the research includes thirty top managers in ten hospitals of Urmia. Data gathered through three questionnaires (personal and job characteristic leadership style with method of Fiedler LPC and conflict management). Data analyzed through SPSS software, mainly by Chi 2, Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman's Rho tests. Results: Results showed that Leadership style had significant statistical relationship with average of managers work experience (p=0.040). Also age and strategy of control had significant statistical relationship (p=0.01). Leadership styles and strategies of conflict management weren’t significantly with other descriptive variables such as (position, level of education, marriage situation, work experience, managerial studies and second job). Leadership styles and strategy of conflict management weren’t significant relationship, finally. Conclusion: Since that the determination of leadership style and methods of dealing with conflict management in hospitals is important, it is recommended that ever done comprehensive research on the effects of other factors such as organizational culture, social culture, character on leadership style and conflict management.

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Background: First of all, in method of Activity Based Costing (ABC), activities identify and then direct and overhead costs associated with each activity calculate based on allocation methods. This study aimed at estimating cost of Hematology ward based on method of Activity Based Costing in Imam Reza hospital of Tehran city in 2014.

Materials and Methods: This study was an applied and cross-sectional one. Specific and overhead data cost of Hematology ward collected using activity-based costing method in Imam Reza hospital in the first semester of 2014. In order to allocate the costs of Hematology ward services, first, allocation bases were determined and then direct allocation method utilized to estimate the costs.

Results: The study findings indicated that costs of each CBC Test, Malaria slide, Cell Count of Biological Fluids and Reticulocyte count were 72673, 64678, 48509 and 48508 Rials respectively. Among the cost centers, the highest costs belonged to buildings depreciation (overhead) (714117127 Rials), Hematology personneles (4182223581 Rials (and materials and supplies costs (110635349 Rials), respectively.

Conclusions: Based on study results, estimated costs differed from tariffs and only Cell Count of Biological Fluids tariff is greater than the estimated cost, the rest of the tests had fewer tariffs than estimated cost which cause laboratory financial loss. At first, in order to control or increase productivity, it is essential to focus on building depreciation costs (e.g. increasing the number of tests) and then should be plan properly to increase manpower productivity of materials and supplies. All tariffs were estimated higher than the estimated cost without building depreciation cost.

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Background: Medical centers and hospitals need to expand internet, Application Service Providing (ASP) to convert it to a long-lasting choice to compete. Hence, the present study carried out with the aim of determining the relationship between quality of service providing software systems and customer satisfaction in selected hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences with similar hospital information systems.

Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytical and correlation one. The study population consisted of revenue and clearance employees' unit in selected hospitals. Study method was census using Kim et al questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and average; and inferential statistics like Kolmogorov-Smirnove Test and Pearson correlation coefficient utilized in order to data analysis.

Results: There was a significant positive correlation between quality of Application System Provider variables and users satisfaction in order of severity in system quality (r = 0.734, P = 0.01), service quality(r=0.721, P = 0.01) and information quality(r=0.521, P = 0.01). As, system quality had the most impact on users' satisfaction.

Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between the quality of Application Service Providing (ASP) with the users' satisfaction in selected hospitals of Tehran University of medical sciences. Although, all variables had positive and significant relationship with user satisfaction, their average was less than moderate limit. So, the health managers are advised to consider these issues in management methods.

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Background: One of the fundamental changes in the health system of Iran in recent years is the "health system reform plan", that the effects of which should be examined from various dimensions. The purpose of this study is to determining the effect of health system reform plan on health indicators in population covered by Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences.
 
Materials & Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the data of the selected health indicators of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in the period before and after the health care system reform plan (from 2012 to 2018) was collected, described and analyzed with SPSS.
 
Results: The highest rate of change in mortality indices was between 2013 and 2015, orderly in U5MR, IMR & NMR, With the mean difference 13.282, 10.825 & 7.955 (P=0.001, P=0.002 & P=0.004). The highest rate of change in Care Coverage for Children Under-five, is between 2014 and 2015 with mean difference of 11.335 and about the Antenatal Care Coverage, between 2014 and 2017, with mean difference 10.050 (orderly p=0.002 & p>0.001). MMR was not significant.
 
Conclusion: The time trend analysis on health indicators confirms that the changes in the early years of the reform plan have been a lot, then it has slow down. Most of the change in health indicators is related to years of 2015 and 2016. The findings indicate that the latest health reform plan in Iran has improved the mortality indices (Reduce in NMR, IMR & U5MR), Care Coverage for Children Under-five and Antenatal Care Coverage (6+). Health reform plan has not affected on MMR.

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Background and Aim: Burnout is one of the most important factors that reduces the productivity of personnel. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between human resources management functions and job burnout from the perspective of managers and staff of deputy of Health in Iran University of Medical Sciences.
Materials and Methods: Subjects of this cross-sectional study consisted of 657 managers and staff members of deputy of Health in Iran University of Medical Sciences that 242 individuals were selected according to Morgan's table as the study population. Research data were collected using two questionnaires of burnout and human resources management functions.
Results: 174 (70.7%) participants in the study were women, with mean age and work experience of 41.3 and 15.8 respectively and a standard deviation of 7.35 years. 78.9% of married people and 69.1% of the participants were dissatisfied with the status of their salaries. The dimensions of consequential evaluation, transparent job description and comprehensive training with averages of 4.17, 4.12 and 4.03 out of 7 had the highest score among the various dimensions of human resources functions. Different dimensions of burnout showed that the highest mean was related to feelings of personal inadequacy and depersonalization (4.72). The results of the Pearson correlation test showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between human resources management functions and burnout with a correlation coefficient of -0.439 (P <0.05).
Conclusion: Job burnout can be significantly reduced with the improvement of human resources management functions.

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Introduction: Socio-economic inequalities in the use of dental services are a major challenge to health policies in many countries. This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate socio-economic inequalities in utilization of dental services in households of Lorestan province and comparing it with neighboring provinces.
Methods: Data required for the study were collected from the household expenditure and income survey (HIES). The study population included 5547 households in the western provinces of the country. Logistic regression method was used to determine the most important factors affecting the use of dental services, and the focus index was used to measure inequality between income groups. Data analysis was performed using Stata software version 14.
Results: The highest and lowest percentages of dental services among households were related to Hamedan (7.02%) and Lorestan (3.19%) provinces, respectively. The results of the focus index showed that the benefits and costs of dental services were concentrated among households with higher socio-economic status. In other words, inequality benefits the rich. Being a female head of household and increased size of the household leads to a decrease in the use of these services. The higher education level of the head of the household and the increase in the number of employed and literate household members showed a positive relationship with the utilization of dental services.
Conclusion: Benefiting from dental services was significantly higher among higher socio-economic groups. These inequalities can be avoided by introducing and implementing targeted policies. Low-income households, lower education levels, and the unemployed should be the focus of health policies to address unmet dental care needs.

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Introduction: Health tourism is a new form of tourism industry that aims to maintain recovery and regain physical and mental health and has grown in recent years. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the factors affecting the marketing of health tourism in hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: The present study is descriptive-analytical and was conducted on 270 individuals at some point in 2021. The study population consisted of all heads, managers, matrons, quality managers and heads of international patients of public and private hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software version 23.
Results: The results of study showed a significant difference between the components of price, place, promotion and people in the two types of hospitals (P-value <0.05). While no significant difference was observed between other components (product, physical evidence and process) (P-value <0.05).
Conclusion: Providing the needs of medical tourists will increase their satisfaction. Therefore, paying attention to the effective factors in marketing and trying to solve the shortcomings of this field can be very effective in attracting health tourists and turning Iran into a medical tourist destination.