Factors Affecting Medical Service Quality

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Quality Assurance
• Physician Studies

Background:

• Understanding factors influencing medical service quality is crucial for effective quality assurance strategies.
• This study addresses the need to identify key determinants of medical service quality provided by Iranian physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the factors affecting the quality of medical services offered by physicians in Iran.
• To contribute to a theoretical framework for understanding medical service quality.

Main Methods:

• Conducted exploratory in-depth individual interviews.
• Interviewed sixty-four physicians across diverse medical institutions in Iran.

Main Results:

• Individual, organizational, and environmental factors were found to influence medical service quality.
• Quality is contingent upon physician and patient personal factors, as well as healthcare setting and broader environmental elements.

Conclusions:

• Internal and external factors like resource availability, patient cooperation, and provider collaboration impact medical service quality and patient outcomes.
• Supportive leadership, strategic planning, education, training, and effective resource management are vital for improving medical service quality.