Showing 22 results for Factors
R Safdari, H Dargahi, Mr Eshraghian, H Barzekar,
Volume 5, Issue 1 (6-2011)
Abstract
Background and Aim: One of the most important reasons why organizations are distinguished from one another is the degree of application and implementation of information technology in their organizational activities. In this regard, individual factors contribute considerably to the application of information technology (IT). Such factors include employees' perceptions and attitudes towards information technology and their demographic characteristics which affect the level of information technology acceptance and implementation.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 110 middle managers from teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) were chosen. A structured questionnaire was used as the data collection device and its validity and reliability were confirmed by a pilot study.
Results: Of the participants, 62.9% were males and 37.1% were females. The findings show that there is a statistically significant relationship between perception and making decisions based on the implementation of information technology. However, there was no significant relationship between work experience, education and training on the one hand and IT implementation on the other.
Conclusion: The results show that human factors (perception and decision) have a considerable impact on the implementation of information technology. Top managers and experts should consider the important aspects of human factors and also the factors affecting them.
S Dabiran, Ma Abbasi Moghadam,
Volume 5, Issue 2 (9-2011)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Vaccination is one of the most important primary prevention and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. DTP3 is commonly used as a criteria for the availability of health services. The purpose of this study was determining vaccination coverage of DTP3 and factors influencing it.
Materials and Methods: One thounsed and four hundred fiftey eight children (12-24 month old) from 17th district of Tehran were enrolled in this cross sectional study. In this study, vaccination status of the DTP3 vaccination schedule according to the demographic variables was determined. Information was collected by a questionnaire referring to children's vaccination card. Sampling method was cluster sampling and included 146 clusters with 10 children in every cluster. Data collected were analyzed using spssv13 software and chi-square and t tests.
Results: In this study, 744 girls and 714 boys participated. 1241 patients, (85.1%) cases received their vaccines at the right time. 190 patients (13%) cases had not received the vaccine at the proper time, and 27 patients (1.9 %) were not vaccinated. Between vaccine status and mother's education (p=0.003), father's education (p=0.012), family income (p=0.003), number of children in the family (p=0.006), birth order (p=0.007), and status of family's medical record in the health center (active - inactive)(p=0.002), significant difference was observed.
Conclusion: Although vaccination coverage rate of DTP3 was 98%, more than 13% of cases, did not receive the vaccine at the right time and this constitutes to childhood illness. More research is needed to identify factors influencing no vaccination at the right time.
Seyed Abedein Hosseini, Ali Akbar Abdollahi, Naser Behnampour, Aref Salehi,
Volume 6, Issue 5 (1-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Despite the information regarding CAD risk factors, there isn't agreement between the relation of this risk factors and coronary artery diseases. This study was done for determination of related factors with vessels involved in coronary artery angiography.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, 2390 patients' .were selected via census sampling from Kosar Angiography center in the Golestan province. Data gathering form included data such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and opiates addiction history. Vessels involved were determined by angiography. Data analysis was done with one way ANOVAs and logistic regression using SPSS 16 soft ware.
Results: Mean and standard deviation of patient's age was 57.9±10. 58.2 percent of them were male. There were significant correlations between age, gender and BMI with numbers of vessels involved. Male gender(OR=1.329), hypertension (OR=1.25) and diabetes(OR=1.20) increased the probability of more than one vessels involvement. Regression analysis showed there were no significant correlations between age, BMI, smoking and opiates addiction history with more than one vessels involvement.
Conclusion: Our finding confirmed that male gender, hypertension and diabetes are the main risk factors in involvement of more than one vessel.
Hossein Barzekar , Reza Safdari , Mohammad Reza Eshraghiyan, Hossein Dargahi,
Volume 7, Issue 2 (7-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: One of the most important reasons why organizations are distinguished from each other is the extent to which each applies information technology. Among the most important factors playing a role in the application of information technology are organizational factors such as organizational resources, organizational knowledge, processes, management structure, values and goals all these elements affect the level of information technology acceptance and application. Therefore, this study aims to determine the degree to which the above-mentioned elements can affect the application of information technology by middle managers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) teaching hospitals.
Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytic study conducted in 2010. The subjects comprised 110 middle managers of TUMS teaching hospitals. The data-collection instrument was a questionnaire structured by the researchers, and its validity and reliability were confirmed prior to the study. The response rate was 80%.
Results: The participants consisted of 56 (62.9%) males and 33 (37.1%) females. The findings of the study showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between organizational resources, organizational knowledge, processes, management structure, values and goals on the one hand and the application of information technology in TUMS hospitals on the other (p<0.01).
Conclusion: The results show that organizational factors have a considerable impact on the application of information technology. Besides, managers and experts should consider the important aspects and effects of these organizational factors.
Abbas Doulani, Mohammad Jabraeily Mazrae Sadi , Bohlul Rahimi, Ali Rashidi,
Volume 7, Issue 2 (7-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Knowledge management is effective in promoting organizational structure, level of services, and universities competency power. The present study was aimed to assess knowledge management effective factors including information technology, organization culture, human resources, and librarians' skills among university librarians in Urmia.
Materials and Methods: This analytical survey was conducted on 102 university librarians in Urmia. The data were collected using a questionnaire where its validity and reliability was confirmed by specialists’ overviews and Cronbach's Alpha (0.94). In order to analyze the data, first the middle of the effective factors of knowledge management was estimated. Next, synchronic effect of the variables was estimated via multinomial logistic regression. Also Chi-square was used to assess the relationship between majors and sex factor of the librarians considering their perspective on knowledge management.
Results: Organizational culture, information technology and human resources are the most effective factors to knowledge management circulation. Also the median degree of the knowledge management process includes knowledge creation and reservation and knowledge sharing and employing which was 2/7 and 2/2 respectively.
Conclusion: Knowledge management is an important factor in human resources and competency environment of organizations. Libraries can with launching of knowledge management circulation, earn some promotions, for example: saving research and development costs, capacity increasing, employers’ job satisfaction, maintenance of competency environment and etc.
Mostafa Rabeian , Seyed Hadi Hosseini , Mehdi Radabadi, Masoud Taheri Mirghaed, Mohammad Bakhtiari,
Volume 7, Issue 3 (9-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Having a preparedness program for earthquake in hospital, with regard to its function for victims of accidents, is very important. The main objective of this study was evaluation of effective factors on the rate of preparedness of Tehran University of Medical Sciences’ teaching hospitals, to deal with earthquake danger of earthquake .
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical survey was performed in the follow ing hospitals: Sina, Farabi, Roozbeh, and Razi. Data was collected by checklists and questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using statistical software (SPSS19) and Pearson correlation , ANOVA, t-test statistical tests.
Results: The most and the least preparedness against earthquake was in disaster management and construction mitigation plan fields respectively. Relationship between the field of hospital curriculums with construction mitigation plan (p= 0/045 and r=0/644) and hospital environmental health action plan (p=0/048 and r=0/636), was significant.
Conclusion : Average of Hospitals preparation against earthquake was evaluated in an intermediate level (51.81percent). Due to the significant relationship between education and other fields that are listed above it is suggested that in addition to short-term training programs, non-structural retrofitting of hospitals should be considered as a priority.
Mehdi Kahouei, Hassan Babamohamadi ,
Volume 7, Issue 4 (11-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Information technology acceptance model predicts acceptance based on end-users' perceived usefulness and ease of use of technology for a specific purpose. The aim of this study is to understand nursing staff’s adoption of clinical information systems based on information technology acceptance model.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive- analytic study was conducted on 316 nurses in hospitals affiliated with Semnan University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) and those affiliated with the Social Security Organization (SSO). The data collection tool was a valid and reliable questionnaire . The d ata were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests .
Results: Some 73 % of nurses agreed that the nursing information system provides them with correct information. Besides, 55.7% of nurses had accepted the information system. The results showed that male nurses had admitted clinical information systems more than female ones (P<0.05). Moreover, nurses who were aware of their duties towards the computer program or those who were aware of the goals of computer applications had adopted information technology more (P <0.05).
Conclusion : Most of the nurses had accepted the clinical information system in their daily work. However, issues such as inadequate number of computers , content design, system c apability problems, and nurses' computer skills and knowledge should be seriously examined . Moreover, several interventions should be planned and developed in technical and individual areas such as enhancement of nurses' IT knowledge , teamwork culture , organizational position , team cooperation, and updating and upgrading the network.
Amir Ashkan Nasiripour , Bahram Delgoshaie , Rohollah Kalhor , Mohammad Zakaria Kiaei , Elham Shahbahrami , Seyed Saeed Tabatabaee ,
Volume 7, Issue 4 (11-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The Effectiveness and success of an organization depends on two factors one is the employees’ Performances and the other is the level of understanding between managers and employees in prioritize of different job motivators. The aim of this study was to determine factors that affect staffs’ performances in Qazvin teaching hospitals based on the Herzberg’s theory.
Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive study. To achieve the main aim of this study, one hundred and ten employees were selected through a multi- stage sampling method .In this study, for data collection a self-report questionnaire was used. The five-point Likert scale was used to determine the degree of importance of any hygiene and multinational's factors affecting the performance of the employees.
Results: Among hygiene factors, the prevailing place was for Job security with an average 4/39 and then followed by a suitable salary with an average 4/38 of 5 scores. Among multinational's factors, job responsibility with an average 4/38 and job interest with an average 4/38 were placed as the most important factors in employees’ performance. %70/8 employees mentioned that two factors of suitable salary and job security are the most important obstacle for improvement of employee’s performance.
Conclusion : The data of this study reveals that, Attention and Planning in providing
proper salary and job security as hygiene factors and sense of responsibility and success as motivational factors, may play a more effective role in improving employees’ performance than any other factors.
Saeedeh Movahednia, Zeinab Partovishayan , Mahmoud Bastani ,
Volume 8, Issue 1 (5-2014)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Complaint is the expression of dissatisfaction that needs
a response and investigation. It is an effective tool to improve the quality of services. The aim of this study was the survey of complaints,
factors affecting them, and the complaint process in Firoozgar Hospital.
Materials and
Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study. All
registered complaints, such as written, verbal and telephone complaints were
reviewed in 2012. The data were extracted from the complaint forms of Firoozgar
Hospital, which included several parts: personal information, ward name, person
complained of, and explanations about the problem. Then, effective factors in
complaints were classified and then analyzed by descriptive statistics.
Results: The most frequent complaints were related to nurses
(192 cases). Complaints about doctors were 171 cases. Inappropriate communication (23.64%) was at the top of patient complaints and complaints about fees
(14.18%) was the next. Among paraclinical
and support units, installations unit had the highest number of complaints (52
cases).
Conclusion: Since inappropriate communication was the point being complained of
more than any other issue, interventions in this area should be considered. Hospitals should identify the root of problems
systematically.
Aziz Rezapour, Farbod Ebadifard Azar, Negar Yusef Zadeh, Fatemeh Hasanpour, Hossein Bagheri Faradonbeh, Saeideh Ansari Nosrati, Zahra Asemaneh , Mohammad Hossein Ghafoori,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (7-2015)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Receiving and using health care services is called
health services uitilization. There are many socio-economic factors including
income, culture, age and education affecting the utilization of the services. This
survey aimed to study socio-economic determinants of health utilization in Tehran.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, population based health
survey done in year 2013. The sample was 792 households living in Tehran. Data
was collected by WHO (households) questionnaire, and analyzed using logistic
model and stata12.
Results: Among the study variables, households' income, presence of a person
with chronic disease, education of the head of the household, and presence of
person older than 60 and younger than 14 in households, had a significant
statistical relationship with utilization. Insurance coverage had a vague and weak
effect on the utilization of health services. Moreover about 23 percent of the
households were not under insurance coverage.
Conclusion: According to the announced policies by the supreme leader of the
Islamic Republic of Iran to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and by
cconsidering the main focus of these policies on the universal insurance coverage,
households financial security and reform of the payment system identifying
households that utilize more health care services than any others because of any
socio-economic reasons is a considerable step for providing financial security for
vulnerable households and reforming health care system at the national level.
Khalil Ali Mohammadzadeh, Hamid Reza Mohseni,
Volume 10, Issue 1 (4-2016)
Abstract
Background and Aim: With regard to the effect of environmental health for employees, and with regard to the lack of a proper plan for identifying and controlling harmful occupational factors, it is necessary to create workplace health identification cards. The aim of this research is to design an identification card, which includes all the information about the workplace health of the employees of administrative section of a ministry, which could be updated in specific time intervals.
Materials and Methods: The present research was an applied, descriptive and observational study which was conducted in 2015 in 100 work stations which were randomly selected in a governmental ministry through designing of two forms, including the information about workplace building, and the health information of the work station. The employees were also interviewed in order to collect data about each workstation regarding the machines for measuring the light, sound, temperature, ventilation, and rays. The opinions of four experts in the fields of environmental health, public health, occupational health, and civil health was used to analyze the data.
Results: A workplace health identification card was designed and determined through using the data obtained in this research. The following issues from this identification card, including standardizing the workplace of administrative employees, creating a data bank from the information, related to workplace health.
Conclusion: Workplace health identification card will be created and the standard management procedure will be designed for the purpose of health inspections of the workplace of administrative employees through the data extracted from this research.
Mohammadhiwa Abdekhoda, Maryam Ahmadi, Mahmodreza Gohari, Alireza Noruzi,
Volume 10, Issue 2 (5-2016)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Inclusive implementation of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is more serious because of physicians’ perception. This study was carried out to identify the effects of organizational contextual factors on physicians’ perception regarding EMR’s adoption in 2013 (The merger of Tehran University and Iran).
Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, analytical and cross- sectional study in which a sample of 270 physicians working in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences was selected. Physicians’ perception toward adoption of EMR has been assessed by Technology Acceptance Model or TAM questionnaire and organizational context variables. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS. The study model was tested by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and represented by AMOS.
Results: The findings showed that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), management support, physicians’ involvement, physicians’ autonomy, and physician- patient relationship have direct and significant effect on physicians’ attitudes toward EMR adoption. However, training has no significant effect on TAM variables. Moreover, the results showed authorizing proposed conceptual path model explained about 56 percent of the variance of EMR adoption.
Conclusion: The present study revealed that organizational context factors had significant effect on physicians’ attitude toward EMRs’ adoption. The study clearly identified six relevant factors that affected physicians’ perception regarding EMR adoption. These factors should be considered when comprehensive implementation is pursued.
Soraya Nouraei Motlagh, Parvaneh Heidari Orojlo, Farhad Lotfi, Marita Mohammadshahi , Nasrin Shaarbafchi Zadeh,
Volume 10, Issue 2 (5-2016)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Cancer disease is one of the main problems of Iranian health system. It is after Cardiovascular diseases and accidents, the third leading cause of death in Iran. In many countries, differences in socio-economic status have been linked with the incidence of disease, death and in general, health inequalities. The aim of this study is to determine the socioeconomic factors associated with the incidence of leukemia in Iran.
Materials and Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was done with panel data modeling, including information related to 30 provinces of Iran from 2004 to 2009. Socioeconomic data were collected from provincial statistical yearbooks and data on age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of leukemia cancer per 100,000 populations were obtained from published reports by Iran Cancer Registry.
Results: The results showed that the leukemia incidence in men and in women during the period under review has been upward. The highest and lowest incidence of leukemia was in Yazd and Sistan provinces, respectively. Direct relationship between unemployment rate, urbanization ratio, and human development index with cancer incidence rate was evident in this study.
Conclusion: The increase of leukemia cancer in Iran has been confirmed by the current study. Leukemia cancer was significantly higher among provinces with higher socioeconomic status. This should be considered for planning support.
Neda Fazel Asl , Farhad Ghaffari, Amir Ashkan Nasiripour ,
Volume 11, Issue 5 (1-2018)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Over the recent years, patient discharge process time has been an important issue focused by so many officials. Therefore, the present study is aimed to identify the main factors with regard to the discharge process and selecting the best data-mining algorithm.
Materials and Methods: The population in question is all the patients discharged from Modarres Hospital during the first three months in the year 2014. Sampling wasn’t carried out but the number of observations has reached over 1060. Data was gathered via the researcher’s checklist while the relation between dependent and independent variants was examined and identified through T-test, Pearson Correlation Test and one-way analysis of variance. Data Mining Algorithms, in this study, were as follows: Neural Network, Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, Simple Linear Regression.
Results: The average discharging process in the present study was 246.96 ± 3.25, which shows that among main factors concerned with discharging process, bedridden ward is considered as the most crucial. Also, according to the algorithms employed in this study, Decision Tree, with Correlation Value=0.30 and Root-Mean Square Error=103.29, was the best algorithm.
Conclusion: Results show that Data-Mining Algorithms can be employed to identify crucial factors regarding the whole discharging process and the most important factor during discharge process variable is hospitalization.
Reza Safdari, Leila Shahmoradi, Marjan Daneshvar, Elmira Pourtorkan, Mersa Gholamzadeh,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2018)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The Ovarian epithelial cancer is one of the most deadly types of cancers in women.Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the most effective factors in predicting and detecting Ovarian cancer in the form of a decision tree to facilitate the Ovarian cancer diagnosis.
Materials and Methods: The present study was a descriptive-developmental study. The main research tool applied in this study was a checklist which was designed based on the medical records, published studies, scientific references, and expert consultation.To determine the content validity of the checklist, the CVR method was applied. Next, survey research was done with aid of Likert-based checklist based on expert opinions in gynecology. Finally, to develop the decision tree, the results of the expert survey were analyzed and the final model was implemented based on the survey results.
Results: The data elements of final decision tree were derived from the result of expert surveys, guidelines, clinical pathways and strategies in context of diagnosis and screening of Ovarian cancer. The leaf nodes in the tree include different types of tumor markers, following up, therapeutic measures, and referrals. The accuracy of the decision tree was approved by the experts. The most important tumor markers that obtained from the decision model in this study were CA19-9, ROMA (CA125 + HE4) and CEA.
Conclusion: Clinical decision models can provide specific diagnosis and therapeutic suggestions by creating patient information integration framework. The model developed in this study can improve the diagnosis of epithelial Ovarian cancer considerably by facilitating decision making.
Ali Abedini, Hamid Reza Irani, Hamid Reza Yazdani,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (5-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: In our country because of the security of production and distribution of medicine, Pharmaceutical producers and distributors are known for profitability. The weaknesses in this industry include low productivity in the raw material supply, inefficiency in Pharmaceutical distribution and increasing corporate finance costs. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify and prioritize the critical success factors in SCM and distribution of the pharmaceutical industry in the country to provide effective decision making in this field.
Materials and Methods: The research consists of two phases of library and surveying. In the first phase, by searching in scientific databases, CSFs in the supply chain and distribution were identified and were categorized in 25 dimensions. Based on the Pareto principle 9 dimensions out of 25 divided dimensions became the pairwise comparison in DEMATEL method to determine the impact and effectiveness. The statistical Society of this research is pharmaceutical producers and distributors in 2018. We have used 13 experts in marketing, SCM, and distribution of pharmaceuticals companies as samples. For data analysis, Excel and MATLAB software were used.
Results: Senior management commitments, use of information technology and government intervention were the first three influential factors and processes, service quality and trust were the first three effective factors. Also, the most challenging factor was the senior management commitment and the least interactive factor was government intervention.
Conclusion: Managers can not consider all the factors; they should invest in influential and challenging factors.
Mahdi Shahraki, Simin Ghaderi,
Volume 13, Issue 2 (7-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Due to the high level of out-of-pocket payments for health expenditures and the importance of household health expenditure management, this study aimed to investigate socioeconomic factors affecting Iranian urban households’ health expenditures.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytic and applied study was conducted cross-sectionally at national level with microeconomic approach. The sample included 18809 urban households living in Iran's provinces in 2016; they were selected by three-stage sampling method. Data were collected by the household income-expenditure questionnaire of Statistical Center of Iran (SCI). The results were evaluated in Stata 14 software using Heckman two-step method.
Results: The results showed that socioeconomic factors such as increasing of income and insurance expenditures, having insurance, number of employed people, head's literacy, increasing of per capita expenditures of tobacco and education led to an increase in household health expenditures. Mother-headed households had lower health expenditures than others; and head of household’s age, household size, and the presence of elderly persons led to an increase in household health expenditures.
Conclusion: Household socio-economic factors not only affected the decision to enter health market but also influenced the purchase of goods and health services and inequality in health sector. Therefore, certain policies are essential to improve the socio-economic status towards reducing inequality in health sector; such a thing can be achieved through employment creation, growth of income, investment in education, and increase of insurance coverage.
Azita Yazdani, Ali Asghar Safaei, Reza Safdari, Maryam Zahmatkeshan,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (9-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer and the main cause of death from cancer in women worldwide. Technologies such as data mining, have enabled experts in this area to improve decision making in the early diagnosis of the disease. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop an automatic diagnostic model for breast cancer by employing data mining methods and selecting the model with the highest accuracy of diagnosis.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 654 available patient records of Motahari breast cancer Clinic in Shiraz" were used as the sample. The number of records was reduced to 621 after the pre-processing operation. These samples had 22 features that ultimately used ten were used as effective features in the design of the model. Three types of Decision tree, Naive Bayes and Artificial neural network were used for diagnosis of breast cancer and 10-fold cross-validation method for constructing and evaluating the model on the collected data set.
Results: The results of the three techniques mentioned all three models showed promising results in detecting breast cancer. Finally, the artificial neural network accounted for the highest accuracy of 94/49%(sensitivity 96/19%, specificity 86/36%) in the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the decision tree, the risk factors such as age, weight, Age of menstruation, menopause, OCP of records duration, and the age of the first pregnancy were among the factors affecting the incidence of breast cancer in women.
Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad, Parvaneh Esfahani,
Volume 14, Issue 1 (3-2020)
Abstract
Background and aim: Strategic planning (SP) is the art and science of strategic analysis of an organization, forecasting changes in an organization’s internal and external environments, setting strategic goals, developing suitable strategies, and allocating optimal resources to achieve competitive advantage. Strategic planning plays an important role in promoting hospital success. However, it has encountered various challenges in Iranian hospitals. This study aimed to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) of the strategic planning process in Iranin hospitals.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was performed using semi-structured interviews with 47 members of strategic planning committees of 17 hospitals in Tehran, Iran, in 2016. For data analysis, thematic analysis was used. Overall, 44 CSFs were identified for strategic planning and were grouped into 8 themes and 23 sub-themes.
Results: Managers’ belief in SP usefulness, SP justification, top managers’ commitment to and involvement in SP, setting up a competent SP team, using an appropriate SP model conducive to hospitals’ structure and culture, promoting teamwork and creativity, empowering employees to involve actively in SP, providing necessary financial and physical resources, and stablishing information management, process management systems, and patient centeredness are key factors in SP success.
Conclusion: The SP success depends on strong leadership and management, coherent planning, conducive organizational culture, organizatioanl learning, and effective management of employees, customers, resources and processes.
Reza Dehghan, Hamideh Reshadatjoo, Kambeiz Talebi, Hossein Dargahi,
Volume 14, Issue 6 (1-2021)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Health tourism is one of the most important tourism types in Iran. Iran has many strengths in health tourism. Also, there are challenges such as communication and information inconsistency in the health tourism industry and the outbreak of COVID-19 disease. Due to the unknown issues about COVID-19, it is important to determine effective strategies to control the consequences and reduce the economic and social effects of the virus in all industries, especially the health tourism industry.
Materials and Methods: In this systematic review study, 500 published papers from 2018 to 2020 were evaluated. In the group interview section, we used the views of participated health tourism experts in the scientific events in Iran, Turkey, and Oman. Also, the SWOC Analysis model (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges) and MAXQDA software were applied.
Results: The results showed that the selected strategies were defensive and competitive. This research showed that the strengths of the health tourism industry overcome the weaknesses and development opportunities outweigh the challenges. Also, the maintenance strategy is the best strategy to support health tourism in the current situation in Iran.
Conclusion: It is necessary to be following issues for the politicians of Iran's health tourism industry to design a comprehensive document of Iran Health Tourism Diplomacy, preparation of a strategic plan for the development of health tourism, establish an independent organization of Iran Health Tourism, develop electronic health in the health tourism industry, design a health tourism insurance system, and…, with the aim of entrance to the current markets and creating new foreign markets.