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E Zarei , F Farzianpour , B Pouragha , P Abbasi Borogeni , M Mohammadzadeh ,
Volume 13, Issue 2 (8-2014)
Abstract
Background: Identification of development needs is a first important step in a systematic management development effort. This study aimed at assessing management development needs from the viewpoint of middle managers of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The population study was 227 of middle managers employed in 16 hospitals. Data were collected using a 42-items questionnaire which its reliability and validity was confirmed. Data were analyzed using main components analysis in software SPSS17. Results: designing and innovation indicator among managerial roles, human skills indicators in managerial skills, psychological abilities among managerial talents, social trust in personal characteristics, comprehensive thinking indicator in philosophic mindedness and leadership in managerial knowledge components were the most important from the perspective of the middle managers Conclusion: managers play the specific managerial roles in order to perform their managerial tasks. They need to develop administrative skills, abilities, knowledge, personality and philosophic mindedness to play the best managerial roles.
Seyed Omid Khalilifar , Bayram Nejati Zarnaghi, Mohammad Bakhtiari Aliabad, Ameneh Valadkhani,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2015)
Abstract
Background: Today, one of the effective ways of providing services is contracting with outside of organization and outsourcing.
Objective: The current study aimed to investigate effect of outsourcing on performance of nutrition unit in studied hospitals.
Methods: The current descriptive – analytical study performed in 2013, in two non-military hospitals and two military hospitals. 602 patients and 930 personnel were selected by simple randomized sampling. Data gathering performed by Patient and personnel satisfaction questionnaire, check list of kitchen's hygiene condition and check list of assessing the time spent by hospital manager for nutrition unit. Data on personnel cost were collected through accounting department. Data analysis performed by spss19 software.
Findings: Patient and personnel satisfaction with food services of non-military specialized hospital (4.03±0.45) were more than military specialized hospital (p= 0/03 for patients & p= 0/021 for personnel) and in non-military general hospital were more military general hospital (p= 0/039 for patients & p= 0/028 for personnel). Hygiene condition of non-military hospitals kitchen was better than military hospitals, the time spent by hospital manager for nutrition affairs in military specialized hospital was 1.5 times more than non-military specialized hospital and in military general hospital it was 6.5 times more than non-military general hospital. Personnel cost in nutrition unit of military hospitals were 1.5 times more than non-military hospitals.
Conclusion: Regarding the positive impact of outsourcing on performance of nutrition unit in hospitals, it is recommended that this strategy be applied in nutrition unit of military hospitals.
Dr Abbas Ziari, Dr Kambiz Abachizade, Dr Maryam Rassouli, Dr Mohamad Ali Haidarnia, Dr Mariam Mohseny,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2015)
Abstract
Background:
Different approaches have been suggested to improve the quality of health care and the clinical governance is one of the main models. In the country, Clinical governance is initiated as a national model in 2009 and hospitals were forced to implement it. Only two hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were approved according to evaluation of clinical governance implementation. This study aimed to describe and explain the barriers of clinical governance implementing in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
Materials and methods:
In this qualitative study, conventional content analysis has been done. Twenty five participants involved in implementing clinical governance, including nurses, physicians, managers and the experts of hospitals and Ministry of Health, have been selected through purposive sampling method and interviewed in a semi-structural way till data saturation. Data were collected and analyzed simultaneously. Member check and peer check have done for data rigor.
Result:
Nine themes include human resource challenges, financing resource shortage, incomplete records and documentation systems, inappropriate organizational culture, lack of awareness of managers and employees, incomplete documented policies and procedures, inappropriate monitoring and evaluation, lack of inter-sector coordination and weak leadership were obtained and were placed in two domains input and process.
Conclusion:
The findings of this study indicate that there are several barriers for implementing clinical governance in hospitals that there is need to prioritize needs and to provide them appropriate solutions.
Leila Azimi, Nader Markazimoghaddam, Khalil Rostami, Atefe Talebi, Atoosa Eskandari, Abdallah Mirzaiy, Mohammad Esmail Azimi,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (6-2016)
Abstract
Background: Nowadays, Patient Safety is considered as a fundamental concept of the healthcare system. Hence, recognizing the effective factors such as illegible orders, dosage errors, and drug usage can reduce serious side effects leading to the patients' disability, prolonged hospitalization and even death.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study performed as a cross-sectional one. 1800 inpatient records selected in a teaching hospital during one year. The physician first order was examined through a self-adminstrated checklist including physicians’ ID and workshifts, and variables like legibility and recorded dosage. Data analysis conducted via SPSS using descriptive statistics and analytical statistics tests.
Results: Among 1800 studied records, there were 66.3% recorded by male, 17.6% illegible, 3.2% with no stamp, 8.2% without signing, 11.9% without time and 4.9% with no date.23% of physician records didn't have coherence and logical sequence, 69.5% did not indicate to the primary items, 17.8% with no medicine dosage, 21.8% without pharmaceutical forms, 11.5% with no usage time, 25.9% without usage method, 14.3% had scribbles and 13% were devoid of numbering. Also, there were a significant relation between demographic variables and some medical recording errors.
Conclusion: it is necessary to endeavor physicians in patient records documentation improvement and can be used some strategies such as educating the newly arrived residents, considering commendatory techniques and record periodic evaluation.
Hamid Ravaghi, Sima Rafiei, Maryam Mohseni, Peigham Heidarpour, Mohammad Arab,
Volume 15, Issue 3 (8-2016)
Abstract
Background: Clinical Governance (CG) is a framework which obligates heath care system to responsiveness regarding maintaining and improving health care services' quality. Purpose of this study was to exists challenges in Clinical Governance establishment evaluation based on national assessors' aspect.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with national assessors' participation of Clinical Governance plan in 2014.Data collection was carried out using face to face interviews with assessors and analyzed based on content analysis.
Results: Three main themes were categorized including problems related to clinical governance standards, Existing challenges in assessment process and recommendations to improve quality assessment process.
From the assessors' aspects, the main existing challenges were lack of knowledge and adequate skills in some assessors towards CG, lack of sufficient accordance among assessors team, resistance of some universities and health care systems, lack of existing comprehensive guidelines with the purpose of responsiveness in related ambiguity in assessment and direction process among assessors.
Conclusion: Reinforcement of quality improvement culture in hospitals and increasing susceptibility in plan continuation, correct assessors election and ensuring about knowledge in responsibilities, updating assessors' training and putting to use equal indices in improving clinical governance assessment can be a considerable assist to improve assessment process and resolve related problems.
Dr. Sima Marzban, Mahshid Moeini Naini, Sayed Hossein Ardehali, Jaber Hekmatyar, Aliamir Savadkouhi,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (4-2017)
Abstract
Background: Injuries related to failures and errors due to clinical interventions in patient hospitalization period in hospital are the main reasons of mortality and mortality in worldwide. This study tries to identify and description ICU care failures and assessing the causes of risks, Severity, Occurrence and identifying risk probability ratio and risk prioritizing using FMEA method.
Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in order to evaluating existing situation using Failure Mode and Effect Analysis and utilizes volere logic to plan the patient safety management system. This study performed in the intensive care unit of Loghman Hakim hospital in Iran.
Results: Study finding revealed sixteen routine failures and its priorities which the five main issues were documented as error in decision phase for patients admission or in-admission (PRN 1000), error in discharge time of patient from ICU (PRN 1000), insufficient infection control (PRN 1000) and error in clinical ordering and prescriptions (PRN 800).
Conclusion: The main requirements of the patient safety management identified as planning standards and clinical guidelines, developing evidence based admission and non admission indicators, enacting infection control rules and education of anticipating standards places, hand washing and disinfecting instrument and equipments.
Mohammad Mehdi Ghaemi, Hamid Moghaddasi, Alireza Kazemi,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (4-2017)
Abstract
Background: Despite the fact that only one-third of chest pains occur due to heart diseases, still physicians have tendency to admit most of these patients to reduce risk of negligence and its consequences.Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) enable physicians to distinguish better cardiac from non-cardiac chest pain. This study reviewed articles which focused on this issue.
Materials and Methods: Google scholar and PubMed database were targeted for search. Out of ninety primary matching articles based on the title, abstract and keywords, 28 full texts were relevant which were included in this study.
Results: Included articles were classified into two categories such as managing hospital resources and increasing the accuracy of diagnosis. Study results in the first categoryshowed decrease in both reception and referral time up to 30% and length of hospital stay up to 26% using CDSS. In the second category, the highest reported accuracy of diagnosis was 97% and the maximum sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 89.43% respectively. Even though, the results of a study revealed that the accuracy of decision support system in diagnosing cardiac chest pain was better than the compared cardiologists.
Conclusion: Considering the role of CDSS in managing hospital resources and improving accuracy of diagnosing cardiac chest pain, it is suggested that emergency wards and cardiac screening centers equipped by these systems.
Dr Ehsan Zarei, Dr Behrooz Pouragha, Dr Soheila Khodakarim, Alireza Moosazadeh Nasrabadi,
Volume 16, Issue 3 (11-2017)
Abstract
Background: One of the main goals of health sector evolution plan is reducing the amount of out of pocket payment by patients receiving hospital services in public sectors. This study aimed to assess the amount of out of pocket payment by inpatients in public hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science in Tehran city in 2015.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 405 discharged patients from four public and teaching hospitals were selected using convenient sampling method. Data were collected using a researcher made checklist and investigating the hospital bills. In order to data analysis, descriptive statistics and regression analysis were utilized through SPSS Software version16.
Results: The amount of out of pocket payment was 10.2 percent included 9.9 percent formal payment, 0.2 percent bought & brought goods and 0.1 percent informal payment. The most portion of the hospital costs was related to medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, surgeries services and hosteling with 32.6, 20.6 and 17.36, respectively. Type of hospital, having surgery, average length of stay, family size and gender had significant effect on the out of pocket payment amount (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: The amount of out of pocket payment by inpatient in public hospitals was in accordance with goal of the health sector evolution plan, which reveals the appropriate government support. It is recommended to tailor and implement enormous plans regarding outpatients and private sector in national level to attain sustained reduction in out of pocket payment.
Dr Nader Tavakoli, Milad Amini, Dr Mahsa Mahmodinejad, Mohammad Veisi, Dr Hasan Amiri, Yousef Sadat, Ali Tahmasebi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (5-2018)
Abstract
Background: Assessment of appropriate and inappropriate services offered at the hospital is a very important topic to improve resource allocation. Thus, this study performed to assess inappropriate admission and length of stay to modify extra costs and effective resource management.
Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytic one which conducted as a cross sectional study in the first half of 2017. The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol(AEP) was used to collect data. A total of 420 patients hospitalized in Haft Tir and Firoozgar Hospitals were selected using stratified sampling method. collecting data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics by SPSS18.
Result: 391 individuals were admitted appropriately and 29 were classified as inappropriate admission. The rate of inappropriate admission estimated about 7% in the hospitals. female Sex, type of admission, the length of admission and place of patient residence had effect on prediction of inappropriate admission rate (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: Considering the high percentage of inappropriate admission and stay length of patients as well as high costs of health services in these hospitals, the problems can be greatly reduced using proper planning, admissions management between the hospital units.
Dr Abdolreza Shaghaghi, Hassan Mahmoodi, Hossein Shahriari,
Volume 17, Issue 3 (11-2018)
Abstract
Background: The Health Promoting Hospitals (HPH) initiative emphasizes on changes in traditional hospitals’ approach in care provision. This study aimed to provide scientific evidence required for successful planning and implementation of the HPH in the country’s educational hospitals.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, opinions of 300 frontline health professionals working in the ten educational hospitals affiliated to the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were examined using validated tools in 2016. Descriptive data analysis procedures and logistic regression analysis (using Enter method) were applied by SPSS software version 22. The level of significance was considered less than 0.05.
Results: The mean scores and SD for applicability of the HPH standards were 66.06±17.51. Gender (OR=3.19 95%CI: 1.33- 8.40), occupation type (OR= 1.50 95% CI: 0.65- 0.70), hospital type (general vs. specialized) (OR= 1.59 95%CI: 1.10- 1.25), number of active beds (OR=3.84 95% CI: 1.56-9.42) and having prior knowledge about the HPH program (OR=2.81 95% CI: 1.31-4.80) were identified as significant predictors of the HPH standards’ feasibility in the studied hospitals.
Conclusion: Given that study findings, at least the baseline subjective inclination to adapt the HPH standards in the educational hospitals do not exist through the Iranian health care providers’ points of view. As the first step in progress towards preparation for implementing the HPH standards, planning of tailor-made educational programs for hospitals’ staff in Iran is recommended.
Dr Mohammad Fathi, Tahere Hariri, Dr Nader Markazimoghaddam,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (1-2020)
Abstract
Background: Medical errors represent a serious problem for intensive care and increase the length of stay and mortality. Tracking of medical errors in hospital have focused on voluntary reporting of errors, but 10 to 20 % of errors are ever reported and, of those, 90-95 percent cause no harm to patients. This study was conducted to recognition and analysis medical errors in Intensive Care Unit by GTT in 2019.
Materials & Methods: This study was a retrospective descriptive-experimental and was conducted in the Intensive Care Unit of a public hospital in Tehran. In 2019 for 13 weeks,127 records were separately reviewed by two nurses by using the IHI checklist and final confirmation was performed by the physician. The data were analyzed by SPSS 22 software.
Results. 622 triggers, 277 adverse events related to triggers, 121 adverse events without trigger and totally 398 adverse events were identified in ICU. 93 records from 127 records had adverse events. The incidence rate of adverse events was 73/2%, 3/13 adverse events per patient and the incidence rate was 24/8 adverse events per 100 patients-day. The most frequency of events and harms were respectively related to care, intensive care, surgery and medication modules.
Conclusion. According to the result of patient records reviewing and the high rate of AEs that required intervention and also the result of similar study, we can state this tool is more reliable than other methods to detect AEs, such as voluntary reporting of error.
Ali Akbarisari, Farhad Habibi, Bahman Khosravi, Pejman Hamouzadeh, Mani Yousefvand,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (4-2020)
Abstract
Background: Performance appraisal and quality evaluation of the services provided will achieve the organizational goals and improve the level of staff capability. In order to evaluate accurately and efficiently, we need to use standard indices, to compare the quality and quantity of work with standards, to know the current conditions and to solve its problems
Methods: This study is an applied study. This was done through a combined method of reviewing the texts and consensus of experts. Initially, the literature review and emergency evaluation indices were extracted, then the duplicate indices were removed and similar indices were merged, then weighted experts and questionnaires were compiled with the indices. Content validity, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest were used to assess the validity, internal consistency and reproducibility of the questionnaire, respectively. Data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS 20 software.
Finding: Final questionnaire with 105 questions in 8 areas including management and leadership (15); human resources (22); physical space and facilities (18); medicine and medical equipment (6); guidelines and policies (17); patient-centered (10); documentation of patient records (5); quality and time indices in the emergency department (12). The results showed that the final questionnaire was reliable (0.89) and repeatable (ICC = 0.98).
Conclusion: The Hospital Emergency Performance Assessment Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument and can be used to evaluate the performance of hospital emergency services.
Mani Yousefvand, Alireza Zali, Sajjad Razavi, Hojjat Rahmani, Saeed Manavi, Noureddin Sharifi, Elham Salehian, Ghasem Rajabi Vasoukolai, Bahman Khosravi,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (11-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the income changes resulting from the implementation of this book in the hospitals of the University of Medical Sciences.
Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted based on retrospective information related to the first half of 1398 of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Data related to this study were collected from patients' records using hospital information system and hospital intelligent management system of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. In order to analyze the data, the average of Rials per service was used for each hospital and type of admission.
Results: The results showed that with the implementation of the book of relative value 2018, the total income of the studied hospitals will increase by 10.67%. In total, the share of total book codes included in the study is 41% of the total, of which 20% is the professional component, 19% is the technical component and 2.4% is anesthesia. After book codes, hoteling with 26% and consumer goods with 14% and medicine with 11% make up the rest.
Conclusion: The approach of the 2018 book is more towards temporary inpatient services and encourages providers not to admit patients to receive services. Also in this book, the proper growth of the technical component of services will occur, which in other words indicates the approach and encouragement of investment in the hospital sector.
Hojjat Rahmani, Ghasem Rajabi Vasoukola, Rajabali Daroudi, Mani Yousefvand, Zeinab Fakoorfard,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (12-2020)
Abstract
Background: Considering the importance and position of the health sector in socio-economic development programs, it is necessary to be aware of the current situation and to recognize its issues and problems. Determining costs and the amount of profit or even loss in the health sector helps in managing costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost of common laboratory services and compare them with the tariffs approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the selected hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional and retrospective study. In this study, activity-based costing technique was used. The study population was the laboratory of the selected hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools were information forms, software, interviews and direct observation. The analysis was performed using Excel 2016 software and finally, the cost price was compared with the approved tariff.
Results: The findings indicated that the highest and lowest costs were related to the cost of manpower and energy carriers, respectively. The highest cost was related to the urine analysis test and the lowest was related to the sodium and potassium tests.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the cost of conventional laboratory services in the selected hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and the tariffs approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2019 were different.
Pegah Salimi Pormehr, Mani Yousefvand, Mahnaz Mirsane, Naser Yousefzadeh Kandovani,
Volume 20, Issue 4 (12-2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: the purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Yas Job Satisfaction Questionnaire in order to develop a useful tool for measuring and evaluating job satisfaction among Yas Hospital Complex staff.
Materials and Methods: Face validity, content validity ratio, and content validity index were used to evaluate the questionnaire's validity and reliability. Cronbach's alpha and the halving technique were used among 150 medical personnel in this cross-sectional study The key elements of the final questionnaire were four dimensions of leadership style, job nature, reward system, performance appraisal, and organizational climate.To report the mean of quantitative variables at different levels, qualitative factors were evaluated and analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results: There were 111 females and 39 males among the 150 participants. The content validity ratio and content validity index were both acceptable.Cronbach's alpha method reported a reliability of 0.92 for the questionnaire, indicating that the internal reliability is acceptable.The lowest level of satisfaction was in the leadership style dimension, with an average of 10.53 4.91, while the highest level of satisfaction was in the job nature dimension, with an average of 21.24 7.05.
Conclusion: The Yas Job Satisfaction Questionnaire has acceptable validity and reliability to assess the level of job satisfaction among medical staff, according to the findings of this study. Furthermore, job satisfaction was moderate in most of the dimentions surveyed.
Beheshteh Jebelli, Mohammad Varahram, Mehdi Kazempour-Dizaji, Shirin Esmaeili, Habib Emami, Elham Ghazanchaei,
Volume 20, Issue 4 (12-2021)
Abstract
Introduction: After the increase in the incidence and global spread of Covid-19 virus, medical centers faced a number of problems and challenges following this crisis. In order to increase the quality and safety of medical services and their optimal management, both in critical and non-critical situations, health care providers in different countries of the world have used various methods that increase the organizational commitment to improve quality.
Method: This study is a cross-sectional analytical research. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire based on 903 accreditation standards notified by the Ministry of Health by available sampling method from 326 employees of Masih Daneshvari Center in 2021. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22.
Results: The results showed that out of an average of 8 areas related to accreditation standards, participants in the areas of professional ethics and compliance with the recipient of services, infection control, environmental health and waste management mentioned the most compliance in the emergency situation caused by Covid-19 and areas of clinical management and patient safety were ranked next.
Discussion and conclusion: According to the participants, observing the areas of environmental health and waste, service recipients and infection control has been more practical during Corona pandemic. The principles of accreditation seem to be accepted as quality improvement standards and can be an effective guide in preparing medical centers for emergency conditions.
Sanaz Zargar Balaye Jame, Nader Markazi Moghaddam, Hesam Sharifnia, Mehrdad Khoshian,
Volume 22, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Medical imaging is one of the most expensive sections of a hospital due to the use of superior technology, specialized personnel, and adherence to special protective regulations, all of which have a direct impact on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) provides an overview of hospital activities, enabling the identification and management of costs and resources with greater accuracy and ease. The purpose of this study is to examine the total costs of services and the unused capacity of resources to provide financial management solutions for hospital administrators.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive and retrospective study was conducted on the statistics and accounting data of a general hospital in Tehran in 2018. The study falls under the category of applied research due to the potential use of the results in financial management and resource consumption. The data collection method included the review of documents and financial statements, timing of all activities in the imaging department, and calculations based on the time-driven activity-based costing method, using Excel software, with the elimination of the cost of unused resources.
Results: The study found that the total cost was mostly below the approved tariffs, with the main cost components being 34% manpower, 23% overhead, 22% equipment, and 15% consumables. The findings indicated that only 58% of resource provisioning expenses played a role in determining the total cost of services.
Conclusion: The findings of this research suggest that reducing the unused capacity of resources and organizational reforms can decrease the total cost of services, increase profitability, and optimize resource usage to enhance the quality of hospital services.
Mehran Lak, Farnaz Vosough, Kianoush Saberi, Shahnaz Sharifi, Hadi Pashapour,
Volume 22, Issue 4 (1-2024)
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Infections related to inadequate healthcare practices can have adverse effects on healthcare systems. This study aims to identify the gap between the current handwashing practices and standard levels by determining the frequency of handwashing among staff at Shahid Modares Hospital in Tehran.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the wards of Shahid Modares Hospital between 2018 and 2019. The tool comprised two parts: job information and hand hygiene practices at different times and specific actions. Observers directly monitored all staff in each shift using a headcount method. Each column represented the hand hygiene compliance score of a specific professional group, allowing simultaneous performance evaluation.
Results: Out of 640 observed instances, 202 involved the use of disinfectants, 255 involved handwashing, 111 involved glove use, and in 71 instances, hand hygiene was not observed. The highest compliance occurred when staff intended to contact the patient's body, while the lowest compliance was observed after performing surgery on the patient.
Conclusion: Given the significant role of nurses in therapeutic interventions, multifaceted training interventions, the drafting of hand hygiene policies, and increasing awareness among department officials should prioritize this group of employees. These measures aim to bring practices closer to desired standards and prevent unwanted consequences.
Shadi Khalilolahi, Nasrin Kazemi, Saeid Besharati, Atefe Abedini, Mohammad Varharam,
Volume 23, Issue 3 (11-2024)
Abstract
Background and purpose: The globalization of medical tourism has intensified competition among destinations, making it crucial to identify key success factors. While research emphasizes the role of host communities in tourism development, non-medical aspects of medical tourism remain underexplored. This study examines healthcare staff perspectives to identify the drivers and barriers affecting medical tourism in public hospitals.
Methods: This qualitative study employed structured interviews with 16 healthcare staff at Masih Daneshvari Hospital, selected through purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted in person during the summer of 2024 until data saturation was reached. Data analysis followed an inductive content analysis approach using MAXQDA software for coding, grouping, and categorization of themes into drivers and barriers.
Results: Key drivers of medical tourism development include skilled human resources, strong medical potential, affordable healthcare and associated costs, and the presence of complementary attractions. Conversely, major barriers include inadequate welfare services for medical tourists, managerial and institutional inefficiencies, hospital infrastructure deficiencies, and political and cultural challenges.
Conclusion: Developing a successful medical tourism sector requires a holistic approach. Identifying, prioritizing, and implementing strategic plans to strengthen facilitators and address obstacles are essential steps toward sustainable growth in this field.
Beheshteh Jebelli, Mohammad Varahram, Fatemeh Keyvani Rad, Solmaz Zarrineh, Elham Ghazanchaei,
Volume 24, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
Background and purpose: Hekmat (Wisdom) implies deep knowledge, understanding, and sagacity. Hospital services are uniquely dependent on human resources; therefore, beyond technical expertise, staff commitment is essential for maximizing efficiency and effectiveness. A "Hekmat-based hospital" is defined as an institution delivering care founded on three pillars: human dignity, medical knowledge/wisdom, and Islamic ethics. This study aims to identify the key factors influencing hospital accreditation through the lens of the Hekmat-based hospital approach.
Methods: This qualitative study employed conventional content analysis based on the Graneheim and Lundman approach. Data were collected through purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews with 62 participants (32 physicians and 30 patients) from various departments until data saturation was reached. Additionally, a comprehensive review of 20 upstream documents related to health, medicine, education, and culture within the Iranian health system (post-1979 Revolution) was conducted to supplement the field data.
Results: The analysis of interviews yielded 10 main categories representing the components of accreditation in a Hekmat-based context. These categories included: social, cultural, and religious issues; facilities, equipment, and human resources; communication skills; patients' financial and livelihood challenges; knowledge and education; tangible environmental factors; economic factors; cultural dynamics; patients' psychological resilience; and service reliability.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that mutual understanding of emotions and beliefs, patience, reciprocal respect, and effective knowledge exchange are core expectations shared by both physicians and patients. Addressing these primary and secondary needs is a prerequisite for achieving a standardized hospital model aligned with the vision of Hekmat-based medicine.
