Journal of

 Background and Aim: Due to the role of websites in delivering e-services, this study aims to benchmark rendering healthcare services at medical universities' websites based on Chandler and Emanuel’s four-stage e-government maturity model.

 Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study which was conducted using content analysis and benchmarking to evaluate the delivery of healthcare services through medical universities websites towards e-government maturity including Information, Interaction, Transaction and Integration services in 1390.

 Results: The results of the study revealed that type I universities were moderate in giving information, and type II and III universities were poor in this regard. Websites of type I, II and III universities were poor in interaction with scores 1.4±0.73, 1.3±0.75 and 1.2±0.62, respectively. The score of all universities was weak in transaction and integration of healthcare services (mean 1 ±0). 

 Conclusion: Medical universities' websites have lagged behind to render e-services. Due to the challenges of health services and information, realization of e-government in healthcare arena requires special consideration. Adopting e-government in other settings, detecting barriers, and formulating related laws and policies can pave the way to achieve e-government in healthcare arena

Background and Aim: In attention to hospital beds serves as an invaluable resource in health system and necessity for appropriate hospital beds utilization through the reduction of patient inappropriate stay, this study aimed to assess the proportion and causes for hospital inappropriate stays. 
Materials and Methods: The proportion and causes for hospital inappropriate stays were analyzed in a cross-sectional survey using a sample of 1925 days of hospital stay based on the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. The study was conducted at the tertiary care University Hospital Shahid Beheshti, 510 – bed teaching hospital which is located in the central part of Iran.
Results: Hundred and twenty one days (6.3%) of 1925 days of patient hospitalization were inappropriate. There was relationship between inappropriate stay and patients’ age and types of insurance. Findings relating to analysis of patient non demographic causes revealed that among hospitals, physicians and patient causes, Hospital-related causes and Physicians related causes have the most impact 42 (33.1%) and 37 (29.1%) on patient inappropriate stay  respectively. 
Conclusion: AEP list of reasons provides base line data for performance improvement in health care organizations. For conducting improvement process, developing a multidisciplinary team under title of Utilization Review committee is recommended to pave the way for targeted interventions based on identified potential causes. 

Background and Aim: In attention to pressing need to cost containment and service efficiency, laboratory services serve as a central locus for controlling health care expenditure. This study intents to investigate proportion of laboratory utilization in Iran to pave the way for future interventions.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the proportion for laboratory utilization through the retrospective analysis of 384 medical records at the tertiary care Kashan University Hospital Shahid Beheshti. To pave the way for future intervention, over utilization tests were classified into two categories, inappropriate and resulted in laboratory errors.
Results: Nine thousand five hundred forty one laboratory tests were ordered, 2522 (26.40%) of the tests were inappropriate and 143 (1.5%) of the over utilization tests have occurred due to laboratory testing cycle errors. According to reviewers’ judegment relevancy to medical intervention was considered as the most accepted appropriateness criteria 5012 (52.53%) for laboratory tests 
Conclusion: Since, the laboratory tests over utilization is multifactorial, forming a multidisciplinary team including physicians, nurses, laboratory staff, medical education experts, health care management and health information technology staffs in terms of Utilization Committee to develop more targeted strategy based on root cause analysis of over utilization behavior seems necessary.