SWOT Analysis of Implementation of Urban Family Physician Plan from the Perspective of Beneficiaries: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background and purpose: Urban family physician was implemented as a pilot project in Fars and Mazandaran provinces in Iran since 2012. This study aimed at SWOT analysis of urban family physician from the perspective of beneficiaries. Materials and methods: This qualitative research was conducted through in-depth and semi-structured interviews in 2016. Nine people including faculty members, family physicians, senior managers and health professionals who were fully informed about the family physician project. They were selected via purposive sampling. Verbatim transcription of interview data was done and analyzed using framework method. Results: The main strengths included health services provision, easy accessibility to health services, classification of services, and decrease in unnecessary costs. The weak points according to SWOT analysis included management and planning, human resources, physical resources, referral system, electronic health records, payment mechanism, health services purchasing organizations, intersectoral coordination, and assessment and control systems. Authorities’ support, legal backing, educated human resources, and capacity of private section along public section were identified as the opportunities of the project. Furthermore, failure in public-private sector cooperation, health market and, society needs were considered as the threats. Conclusion: This study showed the strengths and weaknesses of family physician plan, and the opportunities and threats it is faced with. Hence, it is necessary to find solutions and perform necessary interventions in order to eliminate the weaknesses and threats and maintain and improve the strengths and opportunities before its implementation throughout the country.

Keywords

• urban physician family
• swot
• referral system
• electronic health records
• payment mechanism