Customers’ satisfaction with the Iranian health system reform plan

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Customer's satisfaction is one of the main goals of the health system because it is effective on the desire of external customers for using the services of the health system and also the quality and quantity of the provided care for the internal customers and eventually the health of the society. Considering the importance of the subject, the present study was designed to determine the customers’ satisfaction with the health system reform plan in the field of health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants in the present content analysis qualitative study were 22 technical and operational managers and 118 health-care providers, and 15 recipients of health services referring to the health centers in Qom; who individually answered the questions of the interview guide. The gathered qualitative data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Customers’ satisfaction with the health system reform plan was categorized into six themes of decreased trust of the caregivers, wasting caregivers’ time in the health units, increased provision of services to the caregivers, decreased motivation for work, occupational burnout, and a sense of petition in the care providers. CONCLUSIONS: Although external customers were satisfied with some services of the health system reform such as providing various free services, follow-up the patients, and beautification the environment of the health centers; but there are multiple weaknesses in this plan that would cause dissatisfaction in the external and internal customers. More studies seem necessary to better determine the different aspects of the satisfaction in the caregivers and care.