Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Identification of the most appropriate variables for measuring the efficiency of Iranian public hospitals: Using Delphi technique

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Aziz Rezapour 1
. Zeynab Foroughi 2
. Niusha Shahidi Sadeghi 2
. Mehran Faraji 1
. Alireza Mazdaki 1
. Ali Sarabi Asiabar 1
. Noureddin Niknam 2
. Keivan Rahmani 3
. Saeed Mohammad-Pour 4

1 Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Health Management and Economics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

4 Department of Health Economics, School of Management and Medical Information, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
CONTEXT: Selecting variables is a fundamental step in evaluating comparative efficiency because
the results of measuring efficiency depend on the used variables.
AIMS: The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive set of input and output variables for
measuring efficiency with an emphasis on application in general hospitals in Iran.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised a literature review followed by a Delphi survey
process. After extracting the variables from the literature review in order to reach consensus on them
and identify the native variables, the researchers used the Delphi technique in three rounds. Thirty
Iranian hospital managers, in Alborz, Saveh, Qazvin, Qom, and Hamadan universities, participated
in this study. For analysis, the interquartile range (IQR) and median were used. IQR was used to
assess the agreement of Delphi panel members.
RESULTS: After literature review, nine indicators were identified as input variables and 11 indicators
were identified as output variables. After the proposed changes by Delphi members, 24 input variables
and 24 output variables were identified to measure hospital efficacy. Finally, ten variables were
selected as inputs and ten variables were selected as outputs to measure the performance of public
hospitals in Iran by using the consensus of the members in the Delphi panel.
CONCLUSIONS: This study proposes a framework for selecting the most appropriate variables for
measuring the hospital efficiency with an emphasis on nonparametric methods. Choosing variables
to measure hospital efficiency requires infrastructure such as an intelligent information system.

Keywords

Delphi technique
efficiency
Iran
public hospital
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 9, Issue 7
July 2019
Pages 1-7

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