Design and Development of the Strategy to Improve PatientSatisfaction in a Hospital setting

Abstract. Attempts made in order to improve management tools of performance showing the importance of customer satisfaction in determining the organizations' success in profitability and business. The main objective of this study was to develop appropriate strategies to improve patient satisfaction in one of the hospital in Tehran. The research was a descriptive-practical one. Data was collected through a brainstorming session, two questionnaires designed based on internal and external evaluation matrices standard framework and quantitative strategic programming matrix, and finally some changes were made. Having collected the data, vision and mission of the hospital were developed; then SWOT matrix of the hospital was formed and due to the hospital being placed in competitive position (ST), five strategies were considered necessary to improve the satisfaction of the hospital's patients. What was considered the most was appointing a strategy in order to attract specialists and efficient forces with a score of 5.56 and the least considered referred to the strategy of promoting the empowerment of newly-hired staff with a score of 2.96. The population of this study is comprised of experts and senior managers at one of the hospital in tehran hospital in Tehran working in 2012 (N=16). Due to the limited number of population, sampling was not done. Tools of collecting data included brainstorming session and two questionnaires

Relationship between personal characteristics of specialist physicians and choice of practice location in Iran

Introduction: Uneven geographic distribution of physicians is a major healthcare issue in Iran. This study aimed to explore the relationship between personal characteristics of the recently graduated specialist physicians in Iran and their choice of practice location. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to extract information with regard to 3825 recently graduated specialist physicians from all medical schools across Iran between 2009 and 2012. The relationship between physicians' personal attributes and their desire to practise in underdeveloped areas was analyzed using �2 test and logistic regression analysis. Results: Birthplace, sex, exposure to rural practice before residency program, place of residence, and year of graduation were associated with physicians' desire to practise in an underdeveloped area. The logistic regression showed that female physicians were less likely to choose underdeveloped areas to practise as compared with their male counterparts (OR=0.659, 95CI, 0.557-0.781, p�0.001). Physicians who lived in underdeveloped areas were nine times more likely to choose underdeveloped areas to practise as compared with those living in other areas (OR=8.966, 95CI, 4.717-17.041, p�0.001). Physicians who did not have previous exposure to rural practice were 28 less likely to choose to serve in the underdeveloped areas as compared to those who had such exposure (OR=0.780, 95CI, 0.661-0.922, p=0.004). Neither physicians' marital status nor their success in the board certification exam was associated with their choice of practice location. Conclusions: It seems that increasing the enrollment of physicians with a rural background in residency programs may solve the problem of uneven distribution of specialist physicians in Iran. Because female physicians are less willing to work in the underdeveloped areas than male physicians, increasing the number of male student admissions to residency programs, particularly in certain specialties that are more in demand in the underdeveloped areas, could alleviate the problem of uneven distribution of physicians in the short run. Further, programs that support raising the admissions of female students with a rural background into local medical universities along with providing incentives to encourage them to live and work in rural areas should be put on the policy agenda. © James Cook University 2016

A model for priority setting of health technology assessment: The experience of AHP-TOPSIS combination approach

Background: In recent times, the use of health technologies in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases experienced considerable and accelerated growth. The goal of the present study was to describe the designated pilot MCDM (Multiple Criteria Decision Making) model for priority setting of health technology assessment in Iran. Methods: Relevant articles were sought and retrieved from the most appropriate medical databases, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed and Scopus via three separate search strategies, using MESH and free text until March, 2015. Retrieved criteria were questioned from health technology assessment experts in two rounds and the relative weight for valid criteria was finally obtained from paired wise comparison method. After extraction of relative weights based on the aforementioned procedure, TOPSIS (The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) priority setting model was designed. The stated model was applied for assessing three technologies (adenosine, tissue plasminogen activator and mechanical thrombectomy) which were available for projects call of Iranian health technology assessment department in order to determine applicability of the model for practical purpose. Results: Nine criteria, including efficiency/effectiveness, safety, population size, vulnerable population size, availability of alternative technologies, cost effectiveness in other countries, budget impact, financial protection, quality of evidence, were extracted by the Iranian health technology assessment experts. The relative weights of these criteria were as follows 0.12, 0.2, 0.06, 0.08, 0.08, 0.13, 0.08, 0.09, and 0.15, respectively. Finally TOPSIS pilot model was designed by three health technologies and nine criteria relative weights. Results showed that, the applicability of the stated model was suitable and as the pilot testing, tissue plasminogen activator was the first priority, adenosine was second and mechanical thrombectomy was third for performing health technology assessment by the Iranian ministry of health and medical education. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, this model with nine effective criteria and their relative weights and in combination with TOPSIS approach could be used with suitable applicability by health technology assessment department in deputy of curative affairs and food and drug organization for determination of research priorities in health technology assessment. © 2016 Mobinizadeh et al

The Relationship between Organizational Cultures and Employees Productivity

Abstract Introduction: Organizational culture is an influential factor for organizational performance in literature. The present study was aimed to determine the relationship between organizational culture and employee productivity in non-specialized teaching hospitals affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS)

Branding and Functional Indices Relationship in Mashhad Ghaem Hospital

Abstract

Customer focus level following implementation of quality improvement model in Tehran social security hospitals

Purpose - The key factor for the success of total quality management programs in an organization is focusing on the customer. The purpose of this paper is to assess customer focus level following implementation of a quality improvement model in social security hospitals in Tehran Province. Design/methodology/approach - This research was descriptive-comparative in nature. The study population consisted of the implementers of quality improvement model in four Tehran social security hospitals. The data were gathered through a checklist addressing customer knowledge and customer satisfaction. Findings - The research findings indicated that the average scores on customer knowledge in Shahriar, Alborz, Milad, and Varamin hospitals were 64.1, 61.2, 54.1, and 46.6, respectively. The average scores on customer satisfaction in Shahriar, Alborz, Milad, and Varamin hospitals were 67.7, 65, 59.4, and 50, respectively. The customer focus average scores in Shahriar, Alborz, Milad, and Varamin hospitals were 66.3, 63.3, 57.3, and 48.6, respectively. The total average scores on customer knowledge, satisfaction and customer focus in the investigated hospitals proved to be 56.4, 60.5, and 58.9, respectively. Originality/value - The paper is of value in showing that implementation of the quality improvement model could considerably improve customer focus level. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Investigating of the effect of Biorhythm on work-related Accidents

Introduction: Biorhythm is one of the newest subject in the field of cognition of mental ergonomics which can be very effective in reduction of work-related accidents or mistakes with no apparent reason. . Material and Method: This research is a cross-sectional, retrospective, practical and analytical-descriptive study. Delijan cement production company during 2010-2011. Census method was applied and totally 79 accidents (total of the accidents) were investigated. The required information was collected from available documents in HSE unit of the company biorhythm charts were drawn based on a dates of accidents and participants birthdays, using Natural Biorhythm Software V3.02. Human errors were classified according to reason model and were analyzed by SPSS-W software. . Result: The results of analysis showed that 40% of accidents have been accrued in usual days and the other 60% in critical days of biorhythm cycle. Regarding errors leading to accidents, it was observed that 95% of accidents were related to human error and 5% related to equipment errors. Moreover, 65.8% of the human errors were associated with the slipping which happens during performing a task, according to reason model. . Conclusion: Findings of this research showed that bad and critical days of individuals’ biorhythms cycle influence the occurrence of accidents. Therefore, by training and increasing the knowledge of workers regarding biological cycle and its effects on mental, emotional and physical status, each person effects can make some changes to theire work plans during days that they do not feel well, physically or mentally, in order to prevent the likely accidents

The Effect of Telephone Follow-up Programs after Hospital Discharge on Hope and the Quality of Life in Patients Admitted to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Training the patients and their follow-up after discharge from coronary care units (CCU) play a significant role in their rehabilitation. This study aims to evaluate the effect of telephone follow-up programs after hospital discharge on hope and the quality of life in patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) in Social Security Hospitals in Mazandaran Province, North of Iran. METHODS: In this case-control study, 60 patients (30 patients in control group and 30 patients in case group) were randomly selected among patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) in Social Security Hospitals in Mazandaran. Data collection was done using Hope Miller questionnaire containing 48 questions and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire containing 26 questions. All patients were provided with the required training before discharge while the case group received an additional one-month telephone follow-up. Finally, the two groups were compared in terms of hope and quality of life, one month after discharge. FINDINGS: At the time of discharge, the two groups were almost identical in terms of hope and quality of life. However, after one month, hope (155±33 in case group and 138±25 in control group) and quality of life (87±15 in case group and 75±11 in control group) improved significantly in case group (p=0.025 and p=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Results of the study demonstrated that telephone follow-up for patients discharged from CCU significantly improves their hope and quality of life. Therefore, telephone follow-up needs to be considered as an accessible and low-cost method to improve the quality of life and hope in patients with heart disease