Reforms and innovations in primary health care in different countries: scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends focusing on primary health care (PHC) as the first strategy of countries to achieve the improvement of the health level of communities and has emphasized it again in 2021. Therefore, we intend to take a different look at the PHC system with reform, innovation, and initiative by using the experiences of leading countries and identify practical and evidence-based solutions to achieve greater health. METHODS: This is a scoping review study that has identified innovations and reforms related to PHC since the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2022. In this study, Scopus, Web Of Science, and PubMed databases have been searched using appropriate keywords. This study is done in six steps using Arkesy and O'Malley framework. In this study, the framework of six building blocks of WHO was used to summarize and report the findings. RESULTS: By searching in different databases, we identified 39426 studies related to reforms in primary care, and after the screening process, 106 studies were analyzed. Our findings were classified and reported into 9 categories (aims, stewardship/leadership, financing & payment, service delivery, health workforce, information, outcomes, policies/considerations, and limitations). CONCLUSION: The necessity and importance of strengthening PHC is obvious to everyone due to its great consequences, which requires a lot of will, effort, and coordination at the macro-level of the country, various organizations, and health teams, as well as the participation of people and society.

Mental Health Services Integration in Primary Health Care in Iran: A Policy Analysis.

Objective: The National Mental Health Services (N-MHSs) in Iran was integrated with Primary Health Care (PHC) in 1988. This study aimeds to analyze the policy of integrating N-MHSs in PHC, focusing on the analysis of the current situation, pathology, and the existing challenge. Method : This qualitative research was conducted in 2020 using a case study approach. This study used the policy triangle model to analyze the policy. The required data were collected via interviews, literature review, and document analysis. The interviews were conducted with 23 experts, stakeholders across the country who were selected through purposive sampling, and the data were analyzed using the content-analysis method. Results: The main goals of this policy were to raise mental health literacy among the people and eliminate its stigma in the society, while implementing the referral system for N-MHSs. Twenty weaknesses were extracted in eight areas, including negative views of mental health, weaknesses in human resource training, compensation for the service of psychologists, unfavorable working conditions of the workforce, inappropriate service delivery facilities, lack of meaningful communication between different levels of service delivery, poor inter-sectorial communication, and the challenging nature of mental health care. De-stigmatizing psychological disorders in the society and identifying hidden patients are some of the most significant achievements of this policy. Conclusion: Despite the successful implementation and significant achievements in integrating N-MHSs in PHC, the results of the present study indicate that there are many challenges in this field that require serious planning and attention from relevant authorities.

Promoting parental education of infants hospitalized in a children's hospital in Tabriz, Iran: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION: Parents of infants admitted to hospital have high information needs. A good educational program will improve the outcomes and communication needs of these parents. Results from some studies have shown that patient education in Iran is inappropriate and should be improved. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this evidence implementation project was to evaluate the current practice and implement the best practice related to promoting patient education in a children's hospital in Tabriz, Iran. METHODS: A clinical audit was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System tool. Eight audit criteria that represent the best practice recommendations for patient education were used. A baseline audit was conducted followed by implementing multiple strategies, and the project was finalized with a follow-up audit to determine a change in practice. RESULTS: Significant improvements in the follow-up audit in comparison with the baseline audit were as follows: evaluation of patient learning has been undertaken to determine met and unmet needs (from 65 to 77%); patients' learning needs, readiness to learn, and their learning style have been assessed before the implementation of an educational initiative (from 55 to 66%); and educational resources in different formats (e.g., written handouts, brochures, and links to online materials) are available in the ward (from 33 to 77%). Strategies that were implemented to achieve change in practice included conducting workshops and conferences, determining a trained nurse as responsible for educating parents, training in discharge time, the presentation of educational films daily, conducting group training, and installing related posters in the department and patient's room. The other five criteria were less compliant with best practice in the follow-up audit rather than the baseline audit; however, all of them except one (Criterion 3) were still up to 75% compliant, which is considered excellent by the audit team. CONCLUSION: The follow-up audit results indicated an improvement in providing parental education. It can be concluded that these interventions can facilitate the implementation of evidence into clinical practice.

Promoting informed consent in a children's hospital in Tabriz, Iran: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION: Informed consent is a continuous and dynamic process. It is a crucial part of healthcare procedures that becomes more complex in a pediatric clinical practice, where parents must make decisions for their children. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this implementation project was to evaluate the current practice and implement the best practice related to obtaining informed consent in a children's hospital in Tabriz, Iran. METHODS: A clinical audit was undertaken using the JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (JBI PACES) tool. Five audit criteria representing the best-practice recommendations for informed consent were used. A baseline audit was conducted, followed by the implementation of multiple strategies. The project was finalized with a follow-up audit to determine change in practice. RESULTS: The compliance rate of all criteria improved from baseline to follow-up audit. Criteria 1 (obtaining informed consent prior to all nursing procedures) and 5 (provision of information related to the necessity of the treatment) reached 97% compliance in the follow-up cycle. Criterion 4 (provision of information related to the nature and effect of the treatment) achieved 74% compliance. Both criteria 2 and 3 (provision of information related to alternative treatments and consequences of refusing treatment) reached 57% in the follow-up cycle. To improve compliance, meetings were organized with the heads of departments, nurses and residents regarding informed consent. Also, staff were encouraged to report cases where informed consent was not obtained. CONCLUSION: The audit results indicated an improvement in obtaining informed consent in the included departments. The interventions that were employed can facilitate the implementation of evidence into clinical practice.

Effective Factors of Utilization of Inpatient, Outpatient, Diagnostic, and Pharmaceutical Health Services: A Systematic Review.

Utilization is one of the dimensions of equity in health systems. Identifying the factors affecting utilization of health services can be helpful for interventional purposes. This study systematically reviewed the factors affecting the utilization of inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, and pharmaceutical services. This systematic review was conducted between 2016 and 2017. The search was performed using keywords based on MeSH in valid databases such as Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science in the fields of title, abstract, and keyword. Related papers published from 2000 to 2017 were searched. First, the retrieved studies were screened and checked for quality; then, the useful data were extracted and analyzed. Out of the 1178 retrieved publications, 20 studies were included in the final analysis. The identified factors were categorized into 5 areas, including demographic (4 items), socioeconomic (13 items), health services-related (13 items), health status-related (7 items), and health insurance-related factors (2 items), and reported. The findings of this study can be a useful source and a comprehensive body of evidence on the utilization of health services. The results can be used by the policy makers and managers in designing interventions for changing the utilization patterns of health services.

Service quality from the perspective of myocardial infarction patients.

OBJECTIVE: Service quality (SQ) generally refers to the nonclinical aspects of health services and primarily focuses on the relationship between the care provider and the customers, and the environment in which care services are delivered. The aim of this study was to assess the SQ provided for myocardial infarction (MI) from the patients' perspective. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 164 patients with MI at the Tabriz Shahid Madani cardiology clinic. Study participants were selected using convenience sampling. SQ was measured using a validated Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Healthcare SQ questionnaire. The reliability was confirmed based on Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0.81). SQ was calculated using the formula SQ=10- (importance × performance), based on the importance and performance of non-health-related aspects from the customers' perspective. Importance scores ranged from 1 to 10 and performance was scored between 0 and 1. RESULTS: Of 164 participants, about 75% were men and almost 44% were between 51 and 65 years of age. From the customers' perspective, the total SQ score was 6.80 (0-10 scale), and the individual scores for all SQ aspects were below an acceptable level. Confidentiality, dignity and continuity were given the highest scores, while availability of support groups had the lowest score. CONCLUSION: The study findings revealed an opportunity to improve SQ. Patient and provider participation in quality improvement activities could be an effective strategy to improve the aspects of health care quality that were most important to the customers and those with low scores, such as availability of support groups.