Designing and Explaining the Model of Implementation of Smart Services in Iranian Health Sector Using Interpretive Structural Modelling Approach

The Internet revolution in recent decades and the emergence of smart technologies have changed all aspects of business and the health industry is no exception to this rule.  Despite of significant advances in recent years, this field has been facing serious challenges and the use of smart technologies can address many of them. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an interpretive structural model for the establishment of smart services in the Iranian health sector.

This research in terms of purpose was development- applied and based on method and nature was descriptive- survey. It has also been done using Interpretive- Structural Modeling technique and penetration- dependence analysis in 2020. Data collection tools were document references, semi-structured interviews, and paired comparison survey forms.

Based on the research findings, national preparedness, deployment planning, stage-setting, execution management, task organization framework, organizational interventions and resistance management were identified as dimensions of the model. “National preparedness” dimension was settled at the third level of the model as an independent variable. The dimensions of “stage- setting and deployment planning” were also included as independent variables and other dimensions were included as related variables.

The results of the current study help policymakers in the health sector to use the proposed model as a framework for promotion and continuous improvement in this field and also, achieving the goals of the legal duties of the fifth and sixth development plans of the country in the Health field based on the establishment of an Electronic Health Record System for Iranians with the aim of providing Electronic Health Services, including the Electronic Prescription project.