Ali Maher, Ali Ayoubian, Sima Rafiei, Donya Sheibani Tehrani, Farnaz Mostofian and Pooneh Mazyar
Today, healthcare organizations focus mainly on development and implementation of patient safety strategic plan to improve quality and ensure safety of provided services. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Today, healthcare organizations focus mainly on development and implementation of patient safety strategic plan to improve quality and ensure safety of provided services. The purpose of this paper is to recommend potential strategies for successful implementation of patient safety program in Iranian hospitals based on a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
In this qualitative study, key informant interviews and documentation review were done to identify strength and weakness points of Iranian hospitals in addition to opportunities and threats facing them in successful implementation of a patient safety program. Accordingly, the research team formulated main patient safety strategies and consequently prioritized them based on Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) matrix.
Findings
The study recommended some of the potential patient safety strategies including provision of education for employees, promoting a safety culture in hospitals, managerial support and accountability, creating a safe and high-quality delivery environment, developing national legislations for hospital staff to comply with patient safety standards and developing a continuous monitoring system for quality improvement and patient safety activities to ensure the achievement of predetermined goals.
Practical implications
Developing a comprehensive and integrated strategic plan for patient safety based on accurate information about the health system’s weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats and trying to implement the plan in accordance with patient safety principles can help hospitals achieve great success.
Originality/value
Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) conducted a national study to recommend potential strategies for successful implementation of patient safety in Iranian hospitals based on a SWOT analysis and QSPM matrix.
Details
Keywords
Ahmed Kamassi, Noor Hazilah Abdul Manaf and Azura Omar
The purpose of this study is to confirm that there is a great need for international Islamic accreditation body as a response of the growing number of the Islamic-friendly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to confirm that there is a great need for international Islamic accreditation body as a response of the growing number of the Islamic-friendly hospitals and Islamic practices among medical tourism providers across the globe, with a specific focus on the Malaysian industry.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper systematically reviews the content of medical tourism studies and international accreditation organizations for health-care providers from literature to meet its objective.
Findings
The establishment of international Islamic accreditation body becomes necessary nowadays as the response of the growing of Islamic medical tourism market. Creating standards based on Islamic laws and ethics may assess medical tourism providers when dealing with Muslim medical tourists. Furthermore, the most important benefit of Islamic accreditation is the development of uniform standards for Islamic medical tourism practices that combines health care and tourism services together.
Practical implications
An international Islamic accreditation body should be developed to assist practitioners and policymakers to use standards to select policies to improve Islamic medical tourism practices, which in turn may facilitate the identification of effective services that can meet Muslim medical tourists’ needs and expectations.
Originality/value
This study is the first that suggests the need to establish an international Islamic accreditation organization that assesses hospitals to offer Islamic medical tourism practices for Muslim medical tourists. It may contribute and add value to the body of Islamic medical tourism.