BIOSCIENCES BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH ASIA, September 2015. Vol. 12(Spl. Edn. 2), p. 753-766 * To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +989143142866;l E-mail: ghafarir@gmail.com Health Care Systems in Selected Countries and Iran: A Descriptive-Comparative Study Soleiman Ahmadi 1 , Reza Ghaffari 2 *, Neda Kabiri 3 , Abolghasem Amini 4 and Fariba Salek 5 1 Assistant Professor in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2 Director of Medical Education Depaartment, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, 3 Msc in Health Services Management, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 4 Assistant Professor in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 5 Researcher in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2257 (Received: 19 June 2015; accepted: 26 July 2015) The main goal of health care systems in countries is improving the health of population in order empower them to help in economic and social activities. This research was conducted to compare health care system in Iran and some chosen countries in the world. This is a descriptive-comparative study which was conducted to compare health services delivery models in Iran and some chosen countries in the world with focus on family physician’s practice. In this research 20 out of 191 countries, which were ranked by WHO in terms of health care delivery were selected, and six countries including were studied based on availability of data. These data were compared to that of Iran. Data were excluded and reported qualitatively. The results from this study showed that there is a gap in health system indicators between Iran and other selected countries. According to the findings from this study and experiences from successful health systems in the world, it can be concluded that to have a better health care system in Iran, some proceedings about decentralization in government role should be taken. Key words: Health care system, Iran, Heath delivery models. Nowadays health care systems play an important role in developing the infrastructures of societies 1 . The main goal of health care systems in countries is improving the health of population in order empower them to help in economic and social activities 2 . Health systems in countries have several methods to reach their targets, which will face significant challenges despite achievements 3 . Health system in Iran works in an environment with rapidly changing social, economic, and technical functions that will lead to challenges and tensions 4 . It has been established to make changes aimed at having equity in using health care services in whole population, helping people in paying health care costs, financing continually, and adjusting payment system 5 . Although health care network which was developed in 1984 is considered as a remarkable success in health system in Iran, population access to services in secondary and tertiary levels has not been improved anymore 6 . Hence a reform in health system was considered inevitable and some strategies such as family physician and referral system appeared as best