Developing a Departmental Accreditation Model for Primary Healthcare in Iran

Background: Recently, the healthcare systems have turned towards cost-effective services such as primary healthcare (PHC) due to the increasing costs of health services. Objectives: This study aimed to develop a departmental accreditation model for primary healthcare in Iran. Methods: Initially, primary standards were obtained by making use of available scientific documents in service delivery units in the realm of primary healthcare in Iran as well as by obtaining feedback from their specialists. Then, all primary standards were entered into Delphi questionnaire and evaluated on a 9 point Likert scale by 15 - 20 experts based on two criteria of significance and feasibility. Finally, the final standards were specified based on the qualitative points obtained from the experts. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results: The final model obtained had 231 standards and 3065 measures in the twelve defined units. The total mean score was 8.38 and 7.65 for the sum of model measures in two criteria of significance and feasibility, respectively. The twelve standard domains were developed for accreditation of service provider units, including specialized realms of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, population and family health, mental-social health and addition, teenage, youth, and school health, disaster management, environmental health, occupational health, oral health, healthy nutrition, health education, and promotion, as well as medication and laboratory. Conclusions: Given that the developed model encompasses all PHC domains, its implementing will result in continuous enhancement in the quality and safety of PHC in Iran.