Implementing clinical governance in Isfahan hospitals: Barriers and solutions, 2014

In the new approach, all health care providers have been obligated to maintain and improve the quality and have been accountable for it. One of the ways is the implementation of clinical governance (CG). More accurate understanding of its challenges can help to improve its performance.

In this study, barriers of CG implementation are investigated from the perspective of the hospitals involved. Besides, some solutions are suggested based on stakeholders' opinions.

This study used combined method (qualitative content analysis and questionnaire) in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2014. First, experts, and stakeholders talked about CG implementation obstacles in a semi-structured interview. Interviews were confirmed by the interviewee (double check). After analyzing the interviews using reduction coding the questionnaire was drawn up. The questionnaire "validity was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha (0/891)" and its reliability was obtained using experts confirmation. Data analyzing was performed using SPSS (18) software.

According to results staffing and management factors were the main obstacles. After them, were factors related to organizational culture, infrastructure elements, information, sociocultural and then process factors. The learning barriers were in final rank. Thirty-four solutions was proposed by experts and divided into subset of eight major barriers. Most solutions were offered on modifying processes and minimal solutions about modifying of organizational culture, sociocultural, and educational factors.

Removing the obstacles, especially management and human resource factors can be effective by facilitating and accelerating CG. Furthermore, use of experts and stakeholders opinions can help to remove CG barriers.