JOURNAL OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Year:2014 | Volume:17 | Issue:55|Papers Count:10

Introduction: Health locus of control is defined as the extent of one’s belief that his/her health is controlled by internal or external factors. The aim of this study was determining the health locus of control and its relation with the health-promoting behaviors among people over 15 in Bandar Abbas, Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012. To collect data, Form A of Wallston questionnaire and health-promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP II) were used. Out of 830 questionnaires, 687 were completed. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict healthpromoting behaviors through health locus of control dimensions.Results: The mean age of participants was 34.3 (SD=12.1) and 49.8% of them were male. There was a significant difference between internal health locus of control, chance, and powerful others (p<0.001). The Least and the most mean scores belonged to chance (21.35) and both powerful others (30.31) and internal health locus of control (30.32), respectively. Based on regression analysis, internal locus of control (b=0.23, p<0.001) and powerful others (b=0.29, p<0.001) significantly predict health-promoting behaviors.Conclusion: The findings suggest that to improve health behaviors of the individuals, internal control and significant others should be focused in educational intervention programs.

Introduction: Reducing health care costs and providing high quality health care services are of prime importance. The present study aims to employ the concept of electronic service quality in health care industry to provide a framework for analysis and evaluation of electronic health care services.Methods: This study was conducted between 2012 and 2013, and the data collection was done in the same period. In this study, a model was developed on the basis of multi-criteria decision making methods which included a combination of Analysis Network Process for obtaining criteria of electronic service quality and FUZZY TOPSIS for evaluation and prioritization of E-health care providers. The instrument of the study was the questionnaire of analytic network process and FUZZY TOPSIS, evaluated in four hospitals in Rasht. The data were analyzed by Super-decision Software. Criteria associated with SERVQUAL electronic evaluation were also used.Results: In the present study, six primary criteria and 19 sub-criteria were used. Four hospitals; Golsar, Qaem, Aria and Pour Sina obtained ranks 1 to 4, respectively, and each one received a rank based on criteria and sub-criteria identified in the study reflecting their importance.Conclusions: The findings of the present study show the importance of each criterion pertaining to Electronic Service Quality leading to improvement of health care service delivery.

Introduction: In recent decades, the quality of educational programs has experienced several challenges. Identifying these challenges can help planners in terms of any change, review, or enhancement in the quality of educational programs. This study aimed to survey the challenges of Health Services Management program at the bachelor level.Methods: In this qualitative study, 27 participants (Academics, Instructors, and Alumni) took part in the research. Participants were chosen based on purposive sampling. After verbal consent, data were gathered through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and content analysis approach was used for further analysis.Results: A deep concern about the curriculum, clinical fields and program goals/objectives emerged as the strongest themes from the interviews. It seems that the current curriculum and objectives of bachelor program of health services management are outdated and less effective than they should be. Furthermore; participants felt that clinical fields should be taken into consideration by means of orientation classes, hospital-based skills and skillful trainers.Conclusion: The findings can be helpful for decision makers, educational planners and academics to review the existing program and plan a more suitable one based on the needs of the health care system in the country in order to help alumni gain the required skills and competencies to run the health care units.

Introduction: Information Flow is one of the most critical aspects of information management in organizations. This study aimed to review three aspects of information flow: ‘acquisition’, ‘production and storage’, and ‘dissemination’ of information in the research centers affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences as well as their relationships with parent, parallel, and competing organizations.Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional survey, data were collected by means of valid and reliable questionnaires. Kruskal Wallis Test was used for data analysis through SPSS.Results: Findings showed that there was a significant difference among centers in terms of emphasis on different kinds of ‘information acquisition sources’ (X2=365.40, df=10, p=0.000), ‘methods of information acquisition’ (X2=32.40, df=10, p=0.000), ‘types and formats of storage of information’ (X2=27.22, df=10, p=0.001) and ‘carriers of production and storage of information’ (X2=28.18, df=10, p=0.001). But In regard to emphasis on ‘audiences’, ‘methods and formats’, and ‘carriers’ of dissemination of information, there were no significant differences among research centers (X2=6.20, df=10, p=0.695), (X2=6.40, df=10, p=0.795) and (X2=16.95, df=10, p=0.070, respectively).Conclusion: The current associations going on in the research centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences are mainly pertinent to two types of organizations: the parent organization (the University) and the aligned organizations. Altogether, relationships between the aligned and the competing organizations have not been defined yet. It can generally be said that the information flow is incomplete in the research centers under study.

Introduction: Prescribing and consuming drugs on a standard base is an important undertaking in health organizations. Achievements in promoting quality standards in prescription and drug consumption have decreased the related indices in Iran. This study focused on identifying homogenous groups among universities of medical sciences in terms of social infrastructure, economic differences and cultural climate dominating different regions.Methods: Homogenous clusters were obtained on the basis of drug prescription indices using fuzzy clustering method among universities of medical sciences in 2009. Data were analyzed by R software for 30 medical universities.Results: Medical universities were divided into 4 clusters by fuzzy clustering method. Each cluster had elements appearing to have similarities in terms of the indices under the study. Among these clusters, the fourth cluster belonged to Golestan province with the highest average prescription in the provinces under the study.Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that Golestan province requires a change in the culture of drug prescription and consumption.

Introduction: Hospital Emergency Departments (ED) face different problems affecting their performance. Deficiency of inpatient beds, inability to access suitable care, noisy and overcrowded places, etc. lead to prolonged waiting time, increased length of stay and low service quality.The main purpose of this study was to improve patient flow processes in emergency departments.Method: The population of this descriptive- applied study included unlimited number of patients who referred to the ED of the selected hospital. Colored Petri Net was used to model patient flow processes and CPN Tools software was employed to simulate and investigate different improvement scenarios. Input data for the simulation model were obtained through timing during data collection period. Patients’ waiting time, length of stay, and resource utilization were defined as performance measures. Four improving scenarios (B, C, D, and E) were defined and their effects were investigated to improve processes.Results: According to simulation outputs, scenario B led to 45% decrease in waiting time for the specialists while the other scenarios had no positive (decreasing) impact on waiting time. Scenario E was the most effective one in decreasing the length of stay for patients at different ESI levels.Scenarios E and D had positive effect on resource utilization.Conclusions: Selection of the best scenario depends on the mission of ED, i.e. to save patients’ life. Therefore, a scenario which is the most effective one in saving life must be chosen even if it is expensive. Although it is expensive, scenario E is preferred to scenario D due to its improved outcome. Scenario D is the second best scenario, compared to the other two scenarios, because it is less expensive.

Introduction: Health tourism, due to its capability and competitive advantages has attracted a lot of attention among the various areas in tourism. The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive framework to identify and assess the direct and indirect effects of the factors affecting health tourism development in Yazd province.Method: After a literature review, the most important factors affecting health tourism were determined by fuzzy TOPSIS technique using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).Results: The results of this study showed that factors associated with information update of hospital personnel and the relevance of physicians’ specialty to their duties are fundamental factors in the development of health tourism.Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the development of health tourism in Yazd province was associated with patient satisfaction from the services. In this regard this objective could be met through the investment in updating hospital facilities and improving personnel’s skills.

Introduction: Nowadays, anyone with any knowledge of the Internet environment can act as producer and distributer of information. It differs from most traditional media of information transmission, lack of information control and lack of quality management to contents. This leads to quality of health information on the internet is doubtful. The objective of this study is guidance patients to select valid depression websites for identify and treat their depression and determine the quality of Persian depression websites.Methods: This was survey and an applied study that the study population was all Persian depression websites. Sample of this study was 14 Persian depression website was created by individuals or organizations. Data collection was performed with the Web Med Qual checklist. Web sites was assessed based on indicators as content standards, credit references, design, accessibility and usability, links, support, and privacy of user data (Maximum score for any website was 83, mean score 41.5 and minimum score was 0). Collected data analyzed by one sample T- test in SPSS 18.findings presented by Mean score and optimal score.Results: Persian websites of depression were weak in the content (mean 6.6), reliability of sources (mean 4.2), accessibility and usability (mean 2.1), links (mean 1.5), support (mean 3.9), and the privacy of user data (mean 2.5) and they were below average. Only design criteria (mean 9) were rated good and above average. Also there was no significant relationship between ownership type and rating website evaluation, finally provided a list of sites ranked on the basis of indicators.Conclusion: Persian websites data on depression don't have essential reliability for users. It is better to use the ranked list websites or search on the internet by help information experts.