Iran’s Health System Transformation Plan: A SWOT analysis

Background: Societies are characterized by evolving health needs, which become more challenging throughout time, to which health system should respond. As such, a constant monitoring and a periodic review and reformation of healthcare systems are of fundamental importance to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services delivery, equity, and sustainable funding. The establishment of President Rouhani’s government in Iran, on May 5, 2014, the settlement of the new Ministry of Health and Medical Education administration (MoHME) and the need for change in the provision of healthcare services has led to the "Health System Transformation Plan" (HSTP). The aim of the current investigation was to critically evaluate the health transformation plan in Iran. Methods: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis enables to identify and assess the strengths and weaknesses within an organization or program, as well as the threats and opportunities outside the given organization or program. To identify SWOT of the HSTP in Iran, all articles concerning this program published in scholarly databases as well as in the gray literature were systematically searched. Subsequently, all factors identified at the first round were thematically classified into four categories and for reaching consensus on this classification, the list of points and factors was sent to 40 experts – policy- and decisionmakers, professors and academicians, health department workers, health activists, journalists. Results: Thirty-four subjects expressed comments on classification. Incorporating their suggestions, the SWOT analysis of Iran’s HSTP was revised, finalized and then performed. Conclusion: HSTP in Iran, like many of the initiatives that have been recently introduced and not fully implemented, have various challenges, difficulties and pitfalls that health policymakers need to pay attention to. Interacting with criticisms, taking into account public opinion and strengthening the plan can make the project more effective, and it can be anticipated that in the future, better conditions in the health sector will be achieved.