[Importance - performance analysis of medical tourism in Tehran province from medical tourists and medical services providers' perspective]

Developing countries request to alternative revenue resources. Iran as one of the developing countries with high potentiality for attracting medical tourist is seeking to enter medical tourism marketing .This study aimed to analyze the importance- performance of the Tehran as a capital city to medical tourism viewed by medical tourists and medical service providers. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out in Tehran selected hospitals in the 3th first months of 2011. The data were gathered by using a validated self-constructed questionnaire. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical techniques. The indicate that the majority of the medical tourists are attracted from the United Arab Emirates [22.3%]. The respondents considered medical tourism factors as an importance [M=4/40 +/- 0/61].The Tehran selected hospitals' performance is average as related to medical tourism factors [M=2/75 +/- 0/66]. Despite the importance given to medical tourism factors by medical tourists and medical services providers, Tehran selected hospitals' performance is an average and there is no serious attempts are being made to attract medical tourists at macro levels. In spite the quality, variety and costs of the medical services and equipments in the selected hospitals are satisfactory, international accreditation of the hospitals are still in a major problems

Cost-benefit and effectiveness of newborn screening of congenital hypothyroidism: findings from a national program in Iran

In this study, the cost-benefit of a screening program based on the rial, the unit of currency used, was analyzed. The intelligence quotient [IQ], and height and weight were evaluated as indices for a population of children suffering from congenital hypothyroidism [CH]. The total cost for the screening program, including hormone tests, diagnosis, medicine, treatments and care was identified and calculated up to the age of seventy years and this was compared to the costs related to training and caring for patients suffering from mental retardation, who had not been screened. The screening test was done using S and S filter paper and thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] was determined by the ELISA test. The future costs and benefits with an annual rate of 3% discount of their current value was estimated. To evaluate the effectiveness of the screening program, IQs of 32 patients were identified and compared to 36 healthy children between 2004-2005. The IQs were evaluated according to "Good Enough" and "Proteus Maze" tests. During 2008, 1165169 of 12489136 newborns [51% male, 49% female] underwent screening for CH, 92% cover-age of all newborns for that year. Four percent of recalled infants, with TSH>5 were subjected to diagnostic tests [T4, TSH, T3RU] and finally 2745 patients were identified. Benefit to cost ratios, based on a 3% annual discount rate, were 22, 41, 32, 34, 47 and 60 times lower, respectively. No significant differences were found with regard to differences in IQ scores between cases and controls [cases: 105 +/- 19.3, controls: 111 +/- 19.4], height [cases: 106 +/- 0.7, controls: 102 +/- 4.9 cm] and weight [cases: 15.6 +/- 4.6, control 15.3 +/- 3.2 kg]. The national Newborn Screening [NBS] program for CH has been successful and quite effective in Iran. The method not only has economical advantages but also reduces capital expenditures and preserves normal IQ of the patients under treatment and prevents mental retardation and growth complications

[ relationship between organizational climate and organizational commitment in teaching hospitals of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences]

Committed human forces to an organization besides reducing absences, delays and displacements, causes a great rise in the operation of the organization, mental freshness of the staffs and manifesting both organizational admirable targets and personal goals. Lack of commitment or a low-level one leads to negative results for the person and organization such as lapses from duty, absence excisions', unwillingness to stay in organization, deduction in the trust of the clients and decrease in income. Therefore, organizational commitment in the staff of a hospital who pace in creating a product named "protection, returning and qualifying human health" appears to be of great importance. It is the goal of the ongoing research to study the relationship between the organizational climate and the organizational commitment of the staff and the managers which leads to distinction between organizations. This survey is based on a cross-sectional method. The community of the research has been the whole managers and the staffs of teaching Hospitals of Hamedan University of medical science [Ekbatan, Besat, Farshchian and Mobasher Kashani].The samples were calculated in accordance with the coincidentally sampling formula of 137 individuals. Time scope of the research has been February up to June of 2008. The data is analyzed upon the tests of moment correlation coefficient of Pierson, t test, chi square test, regression and ANOVA test. Organizational climate has a positive and meaningful effect on organizational commitment of the staffs and managers. Among the compilations of organizational climate, group spirit, intimacy, engagement, consideration and thrust has positive effect and hindrance and production emphasis has negative impact on organizational commitment. All dimensions of the organizational commitment [affective, continuous and normative] also have positive and meaningful relation with organizational commitment. Also among personal characteristics gender, age, record of service, level and field of activity are of important relation on organizational commitment. Based on the results of the ongoing research, improvement on the organizational climate causes a rise in the commitment of the staffs and managers to the organization and also can lead to protecting the abilities and continual competing advantages

Are the medical records of high quality in teaching hospitals?

Background: documentation of medical data in patient records is needed to improve the quality of healthcare and medical knowledge progress. Documentation of patient history, clinical problems, treatment, and follow-up care are needed to improve practice and research

Objective: to determine documentation of patient records at the internal medicine ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tabriz, Iran

Method: the study was descriptive and 100 patient records were selected through random sampling. Records were related to the patients who had been discharged from the general internal ward during April to June 2000. Data was collected using the questionnaire including 30 closed questions, and 5 open ones. The results were reported in ratios [%] averages and standard deviation. T-test was used to examine the association of length of stay and records data adequacy scores. Data was analysed by the SPSS software

Results: completeness of the patient records was moderately acceptable [68.7%]. The difference between performance of residents, interns and students in documentation of primary diagnoses and differential diagnoses was significant [P<0.001] and performance of residents was more efficient [59.6%], [69.7%]. Of the records, 22.2% were without summary sheet

Conclusion: patient records had many deficiencies. Instructions for documentation are necessary. Regular monitoring and evaluation by the attending physicians and writing skills education could be effective in accurate documentation