Policies and Challenges on the Distribution of Specialists and Subspecialists in Rural Areas of Iran

Abstract

Background and objectives: Having fair access to medical services may probably be a standard feature and indisputable right of all health policies. The health policy of Iran enunciates this right. Unfortunately, as may happen in many countries, the execution of this policy depends on different factors. Among these parameters, the suitable distribution of professionals, hospitals, and medical facilities should be quoted. On the other hand, in Iran, there are many other problems linked to accessing areas with natural hindrances. Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed and CINAHL libraries, specifically studies from 2010 to 2019. A Boolean operated medical subject headings (MeSH) term was used for the search. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) scoring was adopted to assess the quality of each study. Results: A total of 118 studies were displayed, and among them, 102 were excluded due to duplication and study relevance. Study selection was made based on content classified into two groups: (1) shortage and unsuitable distribution of specialist and subspecialist physicians in Iran and (2) studies that explained the status of degradation in different areas of Iran. Outcomes demonstrated that Iran is generally suffering a shortage and unsuitable distribution of specialists and subspecialists. This lack is particularly crucial in deprived and areas far away from the cities. Conclusions: The present study analyzed in detail research studies regarding policies and challenges that reflect on the provision of specialists and subspecialists in Iranian rural areas.

Telepediatric assistance in Iran: Specialist and subspecialty challenges

“…Equality for distributing health resources and its influence on the quality and quantity of offered services has challenged the health policymakers. On the other hand, in the Iranian health system, the presence of specialists in different fields including internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, and obstetrics is mandatory [14]. The health system suffers an acute shortage of specialists in orthopedics, anesthesia, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, radiology, gynecology, otolaryngology, and general surgery, and training staff in these specialties is not feasible in the short run.…”

The promise of telemedicine in Pakistan: A systematic review

“…Telemedicine has obvious advantages in the case of emergencies in remote environments such as on ships, in planes, and possibly on the battlefield. 10 In all these situations, it is very difficult that patients can be referred to the doctor in time. Telemedicine has and continues to benefit the Pakistani people healthcare system in terms of preventive care and disease treatment.…”

“…It is a flourishing industry, valued at billions of dollars globally 9 . It has been of particular interest for the past few years due to its ability to transcend the common barriers, which prevent people from accessing health care 10 . These include long distances to a functional health facility, lack of doctors in rural areas, and the high cumulative costs associated with a doctor's visit (cost of transportation, income lost due to time off work, and the doctor's fee).…”

“…Telemedicine has obvious advantages in the case of emergencies in remote environments such as on ships, in planes, and possibly on the battlefield 10 . In all these situations, it is very difficult that patients can be referred to the doctor in time.…”

A national survey on the characteristics of iranian general practitioners and their preferred specialty: A need to transition toward preventive medicine

“…[ 27 ] It is also reported that the composition of physicians in terms of different specialty fields has an unbalanced distribution in the country. [ 28 29 30 ]…”