ABSTRACT
This paper has two objectives. First, it establishes a model for scoring the access to pharmaceutical services. Second, it develops a model for measuring socioeconomic indicators independent of the time and place of study. These two measures are used for measuring equity in access to pharmaceutical services using concentration curve. We prepared an open-ended questionnaire and distributed it to academic experts to get their ideas to form access indicators and assign score to each indicator based on the pharmaceutical system. An extensive literature review was undertaken for the selection of indicators in order to determine the socioeconomic status (SES) of individuals. Experts' opinions were also considered for scoring these indicators. These indicators were weighted by the Stepwise Adoption of Weights and were used to develop a model for measuring SES independent of the time and place of study. Nine factors were introduced for assessing the access to pharmaceutical services, based on pharmaceutical systems in middle-income countries. Five indicators were selected for determining the SES of individuals. A model for income classification based on poverty line was established. Likewise, a model for scoring home status based on national minimum wage was introduced. In summary, five important findings emerged from this study. These findings may assist researchers in measuring equity in access to pharmaceutical services and also could help them to apply a model for determining SES independent of the time and place of study. These also could provide a good opportunity for researchers to compare the results of various studies in a reasonable way; particularly in middle-income countries.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A hospital should be an institution of understanding and respecting patients' rights, their families, physicians and other caregivers. Hospitals and all other healthcare centers must be cautious toward respecting ethical aspects of care and treatment. On the other hand, patients' satisfaction reflects capabilities of physicians and medical staff as well as the extent patients' rights and treatment quality are observed. Nowadays, complaints handling is considered as an essential component of healthcare system in line with promoting health standards. In the present study, researchers attempt to identify the resources, individuals, complained issues, and measures which are considered to handle these issues in a regional hospital. METHODS: We employed a descriptive, cross-sectional study to conduct this research. The research population included cases registered at the complaints unit of one of the hospitals in Isfahan in selected months of 2012 to 2013. The data were collected through observation of available documents. Excel software program was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Findings indicate that despite a decrease in the total number of complaints, there was an increase in the number of complaints about medical staff. Nursing staff were considered as the second highly complained unit during the study period. CONCLUSION: RESULTS obtained from the present study can be taken as experiences to modify and amend the hospital's future performance. In general, the existence of complaints in a system is an indication of gaps when providing healthcare services. Creating an organized system to collect complaints and reviewing them helps hospitals to be cognizant of their defects and plan to prevent their reoccurrence.
