Introduction: Efficiency evaluation of universities and faculties is one of the tools that help m... more Introduction: Efficiency evaluation of universities and faculties is one of the tools that help managers to identify the departments' strengths and weakness. The main objective of the present research was to measure and compare the technical efficiency of Shiraz school of medicine departments using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. Methods: This cross-sectional and retrospective study was performed on clinical and non-clinical departments in research and education domains over the period of 2006 to 2011. Different inputs and outputs were considered for research and educational domain separately. Efficiency was measured based on the observed optimal performance. Results: Findings showed that pathology and anatomy departments achieved the score of 100 in technical efficiency in education during 2006 to 2011. During this period, parasitology, psychiatric and pediatrics department's achieved the score of 100 for technical efficiency in research domain. The lowest mean of relative educational efficiency belonged to orthopedic department; as to relative research efficiency, the lowest mean was shown in orthopedics and genetics departments. The mean technical efficiency of non-medical departments in education and research domain was 91.93 and 76.08, respectively, while the mean technical efficiency of the clinical department in educational and research fields was 91.02 and 82.23, respectively. Conclusion: Using multiple input and output in DEA technique provided a comprehensive evaluation of efficiency in Shiraz school of medicine departments. The DEA could successfully estimate the technical efficiency of the departments in research and educational fields. Moreover, the deficiency in each department was found; this could help them to plan for improvement.
Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) make a unique group of strokes. Unfractionated... more Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) make a unique group of strokes. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) are among the medications used for preventing blood coagulation. This study was carried out aiming at analyzing the cost effectiveness of LMWH versus UFH in hospitalized patients with stroke due to AF with respect to the Iranian population. Methods: This randomized study was an economic evaluation of cost effectiveness with the help of the cross-sectional data of 2013-2015. In this study, 74 patients had undergone treatment in two groups, before being evaluated. Half of the patients were treated by LMWH, while the other half was treated by UFH. Effectiveness criterion was prevention of new stroke recurrence. Results: Average medical direct costs, non-medical direct costs, and indirect costs of UFH were 110375 ± 40411$, 15594 ± 11511$, and 21723 ± 19933$, respectively. Same average medical direct costs, non-medical direct costs, and indirect costs of LMWH were 99573 ± 59143$, 9016 ± 17156$, and 10385 ± 10598$, respectively. The number of prevention of new strokes due to AF in LMWH and UFH was 2 and 0, respectively. Expected effectiveness in LMWH and UFH groups was 0.56 and 0.51, respectively. Moreover, the expected costs were 26737.61$ and 30776.18$, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for stroke due to AF was -150, 201, 26$ per prevention of stroke recurrence (p-values ≤ 0/05). Conclusion: The results of the cost-effectiveness analysis of LMWH versus UFH showed that LMWH is a dominant strategy for patients with stroke due to AF in Iranian population.
Introduction: Managers, as the members of decision making team in hospitals, are required to unde... more Introduction: Managers, as the members of decision making team in hospitals, are required to understand economic issues In order to increase their knowledge, make better decisions making, and bring about economic growth in hospitals. Thus by measuring the managers’ level of economic knowledge and understanding their weaknesses at this field, we can take an important step in line with this transcendental target. Method: This was an analytical– descriptive study conducted in 2013. In this study, the views of 30 hospital executives and financial managers about various aspects of hospital economy including payment methods, techniques of economic evaluation, hospital income, and cost and subtractions were studied using questionnaires and interviews. SPSS 18 was used to analyze the collected data. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: None of the studied managers had a good level of knowledge and most managers (80.7%) had an undesirable level of knowledge, and few of them had a moderate level of knowledge. The administrators’ average knowledge of the ways to reduce the cost and increase the income of private hospitals was more than that of hospital administrators; as to the economic evaluation techniques and methods of payment, hospital administrators had more knowledge than managers of private hospitals. Conclusion: The managers’ low level of economic knowledge can be enhanced by more selective appointment of individuals for these sensitive positions and also increased by their participation in workshops and training courses.
Equity in health implies that all the individuals who need healthcare services must be able to ac... more Equity in health implies that all the individuals who need healthcare services must be able to access them timely and adequately. The present study aimed to assess the role and trend of equity in development and implementation of development plans in the health sector. This review study was conducted in databases, such as Magiran, IranMedex, website of Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, and website of Parliament of Islamic Republic of Iran, in 2014. For this purpose, we searched keywords, such as strategy, health, and equity, in a five-year period (1988-2014). Finally, 26 related documents were selected. According to the results, the first development plan stressed rural areas and deprived regions of the country. In the second and third plans, in addition to what was emphasized in the first plan, increasing services efficiency and necessity for optimal application of healthcare facilities were considered, as well. Eventually, distributive equity, family physician, and referral system were focused in the fourth and fifth plans. In conclusion, tracking the changes through the study years revealed that emphasis was put more on process rather than structure. Individuals’ needs and expectations are changing and satisfying them fairly requires deeper look into various sectors of the society for development and implementation of development plans.
Introduction: Efficiency evaluation of universities and faculties is one of the tools that help m... more Introduction: Efficiency evaluation of universities and faculties is one of the tools that help managers to identify the departments' strengths and weakness. The main objective of the present research was to measure and compare the technical efficiency of Shiraz school of medicine departments using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. Methods: This cross-sectional and retrospective study was performed on clinical and non-clinical departments in research and education domains over the period of 2006 to 2011. Different inputs and outputs were considered for research and educational domain separately. Efficiency was measured based on the observed optimal performance. Results: Findings showed that pathology and anatomy departments achieved the score of 100 in technical efficiency in education during 2006 to 2011. During this period, parasitology, psychiatric and pediatrics department's achieved the score of 100 for technical efficiency in research domain. The lowest mean of relative educational efficiency belonged to orthopedic department; as to relative research efficiency, the lowest mean was shown in orthopedics and genetics departments. The mean technical efficiency of non-medical departments in education and research domain was 91.93 and 76.08, respectively, while the mean technical efficiency of the clinical department in educational and research fields was 91.02 and 82.23, respectively. Conclusion: Using multiple input and output in DEA technique provided a comprehensive evaluation of efficiency in Shiraz school of medicine departments. The DEA could successfully estimate the technical efficiency of the departments in research and educational fields. Moreover, the deficiency in each department was found; this could help them to plan for improvement.
Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) make a unique group of strokes. Unfractionated... more Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) make a unique group of strokes. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) are among the medications used for preventing blood coagulation. This study was carried out aiming at analyzing the cost effectiveness of LMWH versus UFH in hospitalized patients with stroke due to AF with respect to the Iranian population. Methods: This randomized study was an economic evaluation of cost effectiveness with the help of the cross-sectional data of 2013-2015. In this study, 74 patients had undergone treatment in two groups, before being evaluated. Half of the patients were treated by LMWH, while the other half was treated by UFH. Effectiveness criterion was prevention of new stroke recurrence. Results: Average medical direct costs, non-medical direct costs, and indirect costs of UFH were 110375 ± 40411$, 15594 ± 11511$, and 21723 ± 19933$, respectively. Same average medical direct costs, non-medical direct costs, and indirect costs of LMWH were 99573 ± 59143$, 9016 ± 17156$, and 10385 ± 10598$, respectively. The number of prevention of new strokes due to AF in LMWH and UFH was 2 and 0, respectively. Expected effectiveness in LMWH and UFH groups was 0.56 and 0.51, respectively. Moreover, the expected costs were 26737.61$ and 30776.18$, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for stroke due to AF was -150, 201, 26$ per prevention of stroke recurrence (p-values ≤ 0/05). Conclusion: The results of the cost-effectiveness analysis of LMWH versus UFH showed that LMWH is a dominant strategy for patients with stroke due to AF in Iranian population.
Introduction: Managers, as the members of decision making team in hospitals, are required to unde... more Introduction: Managers, as the members of decision making team in hospitals, are required to understand economic issues In order to increase their knowledge, make better decisions making, and bring about economic growth in hospitals. Thus by measuring the managers’ level of economic knowledge and understanding their weaknesses at this field, we can take an important step in line with this transcendental target. Method: This was an analytical– descriptive study conducted in 2013. In this study, the views of 30 hospital executives and financial managers about various aspects of hospital economy including payment methods, techniques of economic evaluation, hospital income, and cost and subtractions were studied using questionnaires and interviews. SPSS 18 was used to analyze the collected data. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: None of the studied managers had a good level of knowledge and most managers (80.7%) had an undesirable level of knowledge, and few of them had a moderate level of knowledge. The administrators’ average knowledge of the ways to reduce the cost and increase the income of private hospitals was more than that of hospital administrators; as to the economic evaluation techniques and methods of payment, hospital administrators had more knowledge than managers of private hospitals. Conclusion: The managers’ low level of economic knowledge can be enhanced by more selective appointment of individuals for these sensitive positions and also increased by their participation in workshops and training courses.
Equity in health implies that all the individuals who need healthcare services must be able to ac... more Equity in health implies that all the individuals who need healthcare services must be able to access them timely and adequately. The present study aimed to assess the role and trend of equity in development and implementation of development plans in the health sector. This review study was conducted in databases, such as Magiran, IranMedex, website of Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, and website of Parliament of Islamic Republic of Iran, in 2014. For this purpose, we searched keywords, such as strategy, health, and equity, in a five-year period (1988-2014). Finally, 26 related documents were selected. According to the results, the first development plan stressed rural areas and deprived regions of the country. In the second and third plans, in addition to what was emphasized in the first plan, increasing services efficiency and necessity for optimal application of healthcare facilities were considered, as well. Eventually, distributive equity, family physician, and referral system were focused in the fourth and fifth plans. In conclusion, tracking the changes through the study years revealed that emphasis was put more on process rather than structure. Individuals’ needs and expectations are changing and satisfying them fairly requires deeper look into various sectors of the society for development and implementation of development plans.
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