Health Scope. 2018 February; 7(S):e12383.
Published online 2018 February 28.
doi: 10.5812/jhealthscope.12383.
Brief Report
The Iranian Health System Responsiveness after Implementation of
Health Transformation Plan: A Study of Jahrom County in Southern
Iran
Yaser Sarikhani,
1
Seyed Taghi Heydari,
2,*
Shafaq Razmjou,
3
and Sousan Zare
3
1
Research Center for Social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, IR Iran
2
Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran
3
Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, IR Iran
*
Corresponding author: Seyed Taghi Heydari, Health Policy Research Center, Building No.2, 8th Floor, School of Medicine, Zand Avenue, Shiraz, IR Iran. Tel: +98-7112309615, Fax:
+98-7112309615, E-mail: heydari.st@gmail.com
Received 2017 January 24; Revised 2017 December 09; Accepted 2018 January 24.
Abstract
Background: Healthcare systems have an intrinsic responsibility to meet medial and non-medical expectations of people.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the Iranian health system responsiveness in the city of Jahrom.
Methods: This study comprised of 600 patients from 6 health centers in Jahrom County. Data were gathered via a standard self-
report questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate data.
Results: Responsiveness of Jahrom health system was reported to be higher than average (3.32 ± 0.41). Being female, being from
low income families, and patients on inpatient services were factors directly associated with higher rate of good responsiveness (P
< 0.001).
Conclusions: The Iranian health evolution plan is expected to have potential to promote responsiveness and quality of healthcare
services, an area deserving more investigations.
Keywords: Healthcare System, Responsiveness, Patients Satisfaction, Health Transformation Plan
1. Background
The world health report 2000 focuses on 3 important
objectives of health systems including good health, re-
sponsiveness to the non-medical expectations of patients,
and fairness in financing (1). These objectives should be
considered in Health Transformation Plan (2). In this re-
gard, the Iranian Ministry of Health launched a reform pro-
gram in the public sector of thee health system in May
2104. Therefore it is necessary to investigate achievements
and shortcomings of the plan in different levels.
2. Objectives
This study was designed to evaluate Iranian health sys-
tem responsiveness to the patients’ non-medical needs af-
ter implementation of Iranian Health Transformation Plan
(HTP) in the Jahrom county of the Fars province in south-
ern Iran.
3. Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted in university
affiliated hospitals and outpatient polyclinics of Jahrom
city in southern Iran. The study comprised of 600 par-
ticipants from 6 centers and stratified random sampling
method was used to collect samples. The sample size
in each of the outpatient and inpatient services was esti-
mated as 273.
The data collection was carried out via a standard 5
point Likert scale questionnaire developed by WHO (3). The
mean score of less than 2.5 indicated as low and greater
values were considered as high responsiveness. Data were
analyzed using SPSS 17.0. Chi-square test, odds ratio (OR),
and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% C.I) were
used to evaluate the univariate and adjusted relationship
between independent variables and level of responsive-
ness. This study was approved by the Ethical Commit-
tee of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences under code
IR.JUMS.REC.1394.049.
Copyright © 2018, Journal of Health Scope. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits copy and redistribute the material just in noncommercial usages, provided the
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