Implementing hospital quality assurance policies in Iran: Balancing licensing, annual evaluation, inspections and quality management systems
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance
ISSN: 0952-6862
Article publication date: 11 May 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of applied hospital quality assurance (QA) policies in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed method (quantitative data and qualitative document analysis) study was carried out between 1996 and 2010.
Findings
The QA policy cycle forms a tight monitoring system to assure hospital quality by combining mandatory and voluntary methods in Iran. The licensing, annual evaluation and grading, and regulatory inspections statutorily implemented by the government as a national package to assure and improve hospital care quality, while implementing quality management systems (QMS) was voluntary for hospitals. The government’s strong QA policy legislation role and support has been an important factor for successful QA implementation in Iran, though it may affected QA assessment independency and validity. Increased hospital evaluation independency and repositioning, updating standards, professional involvement and effectiveness studies could increase QA policy impact and maturity.
Practical implications
The study highlights the current QA policy implementation cycle in Iranian hospitals. It provides a basis for further quality strategy development in Iranian hospitals and elsewhere. It also raises attention about finding the optimal balance between different QA policies, which is topical for many countries.
Originality/value
This paper describes experiences when implementing a unique approach, combining mandatory and voluntary QA policies simultaneously in a developing country, which has invested considerably over time to improve hospital quality. The experiences with a mixed obligatory/voluntary approach and comprehensive policies in Iran may contain lessons for policy makers in developing and developed countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Dr Hamid Ravaghi and Dr Reza Tooyserkanmanesh for their contributions to the data collection process; Mrs Margot Witvliet for commenting on the draft paper and Professor Dr Karien Stronks for supporting this research project at the Department of Social Medicine, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam University.
Citation
Aghaei Hashjin, A., Delgoshaei, B., Kringos, D.S., Tabibi, S.J., Manouchehri, J. and Klazinga, N.S. (2015), "Implementing hospital quality assurance policies in Iran: Balancing licensing, annual evaluation, inspections and quality management systems", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 343-355. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-03-2014-0034
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited