[Sustainable universal health insurance coverage barriers in Iran: 2007]

Contribute to a better understanding of the Iranian health financing system and draw some useful clues for policy makers are the aim of the study. We interviewed a purposeful sample of 25 participants from 7 main actors in Iranian health Insurance system in late 2007. We asked about three main tasks of health financing system: revenue collection, Risk Pooling and Purchasing and used a model suggested by Guy Carrin to design the study and the framework method for the analysis. Unknown insured rate, Regressive financing and, non transparent financial flow, Fragmented system and non compulsory insurance, Nonscientific designed BP, non health oriented and expensive payment system, uncontrolled demands and defect in administrative efficiency are seven themes which explain the defects of current universal coverage in Iran. A long term systematic approach plan is required in any reform in Iran's health financing system. The plan should aim to respond the above problems systematically

[ study of the relationship between organizational culture and quality improvement in selected hospitals of Tehran Medical Sciences Universities]

To examine the relationship between organizational culture and the extent of Quality Improvement Model implementation in a sample of hospitals in Tehran, Iran and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences. This research is a cross sectional study. The statistical population consists of the clinical staff of Rrasoul-Akram, Shahid Modarres and Tehran Heart Center hospitals in which the Quality Improvement Model [ISO 9001-2000] has been implemented. To collect the data, a questionnaire based upon the competing values model was used to assess aspect of organizational culture in selected hospitals and quality improvement implementation questionnaire adopted from Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award was used to determine the extent of implementation of quality improvement initiatives. Research findings indicate that the score average on clan culture is 31.6 in Tehran Heart Center, 19.8 in Rasoul-Akram hospital and 21.25 in Shahid Modarres hospital from 100 score and the extent of quality improvement model [in a likert scale 1-5] is 4.33 in Tehran Heart Center Hospital, 3/54 in Rasoul-Akram Hospital and 3.56 in Shahid Modarres Hospital. In addition, based on the correlation analysis, team [clan] culture has a significant positive correlation with the extent of implementation of quality improvement model in an organization. The finding of this research, support the hypothesized linkage between team culture and quality improvement