The health reforms launched last year aim to improve the quality of the country’s hospitals, said Mohammad Aghajani, deputy health minister for treatment affairs.
To achieve this goal, during the six-month period from May-November 2014, 313 hospitals were assessed and evaluated, with 140 hospitals receiving warning notices, he said.
“Also 1,865 complaints from patients were addressed by the health ministry. In addition, a plan to repair 560 state-run hospitals to improve the quality of their lounge areas has made 67% progress,” he added.
Hospital Beds
At present, there are 1.5 hospital beds per 1000 population which is inadequate,” Aghajani said, quoted by Iran Newspaper.
And since emergency centers are not able to admit all patients, boards in charge of inter-hospital transfer of patients have been launched in several state hospitals. Aghajani referred to the Health Reform Plan launched in May 2014, saying the strength of the plan was on its “patient-orientation.”
With the implementation of health reforms, more than 7 million people were covered by insurance and people’s share of medical costs in university hospitals declined from 37% to 8%. The third segment of the Health Reform Plan which will take off soon across the country is reducing hospital costs, by which 6% of hospital stay will be shouldered by urban residents and 3% by rural residents, respectively.
More Autonomy
In order to increase the quality of care and treatment services in hospitals, a new plan to give hospital managers more autonomy has been developed. Accordingly, hospitals will be run by a board of directors comprised of qualified physicians who will be chosen through a ‘Professional Qualification Exam’.
