ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of important social and technological trends on health care delivery, in the context of developing "Iran's Health System Reform Plan by 2025". A detailed review of the national and international literature was done to identify the main trends affecting health system. To collect the experts' opinions about important trends and their impact on health care delivery, Focus Group Discussions [FGDs] and semi-structured in-depth interviews techniques were used. The study was based on the STEEP model. Final results were approved in an expert's panel session. The important social and technological trends, affecting health system in Iran in the next 15 years are demographic transition, epidemiologic transition, increasing bio-environmental pollution, increasing slums, increasing private sector partnership in health care delivery, moving toward knowledge-based society, development of information and communication technology, increasing use of high technologies in health system, and development of traditional and alternative medicine. The opportunities and threats resulting from the above mentioned trends were also assessed in this study. Increasing healthcare cost due tosome trends like demographic and epidemiologic transition and uncontrolled increase in using new technologies in health care is one of the most important threats that the health system will be facing. The opportunities that advancement in technology and moving toward knowledge-based society create are important and should not be ignored
ABSTRACT
Medical tariff is one of the most important tools for health policy making in a country that influences equity, efficiency, quality and accountability of service deliveries. If relative values for different services are not determined correctly, it may have negative consequences on availability and sustainability of care. This study was designed to assess the challenges and respective solutions of the tariff system in Iranian health sectors. This is a qualitative study, involving nine face to face interviews with health managers, policy makers and researchers at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and relevant organizations, as well as public and private institutions and service providers who had experiences in medical tariff. We used the thematic framework method for analyzing qualitative data. The problems and respective solutions were classified into stewardship power, policy making and surveillance for tariff setting, structural organization of medical tariff system, methods and principles of setting the tariffs, medical costs recording systems and other concepts related to the medical tariff system in the health sector. To improve medical tariffs system in the country, one need to have a deep understanding of the current challenges and potential solutions in different levels. It is advisable to follow a clear model based on focus on policy-making and stewardship of medical tariffs system as an important cornerstone of any effort to rectify the current situation
ABSTRACT
The telemedicine technology has an interaction with many sciences and technologies. It has also much economical and social effect on society components. In order to have sustainable development and balanced use of technology, there should be attention on the orientation and the "Iran's 20 -year vision plan" objectives and the "Ministry of Health and medical education" goals. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of such technology on Iran's 20 -year vision plan objectives and "Ministry of Health and medical education goals from the view points of the experts. The method of this research was a descriptive survey. The data collection was done by the help of a library, document study and questionnaires including 2 parts about the effects of using telemedicine technology on "Iran's 20 -year vision plan" objectives and "Ministry of Health and medical education" goals. In this research, the sampling method was used. To analyze the data, the SPSS was used. The most capability of telemedicine in helping the government for realizing the objectives of "Iran's 20 -year vision plan" was in equity and social welfare, and the most capability of this technology in helping the health system is in providing a better access to health services. Telemedicine technology is effective and impoliant for both "Iran's 20 -year vision plan" objectives and "Ministry of Health and medical education" goals. The Demands of government and Ministry of Health and Medical Education from telemedicine technology should be based on equity and social welfare and providing a better access to health services