The Effect of Lodge on Performance Indicators of Rural Family Physicians in Health Care Centers of Jiroft and Kerman Universities of Medical Sciences

Access to family physicians plays an important role in individual's health and health indicators. This study aimed to determine the effect of family physicians lodge on performance indicators of rural family physicians working in health centers of Jiroft and Kerman Universities of Medical Sciences. In this cross - sectional study conducted in 2013, 26 lodge physicians (as the case group) and 26 non lodge physicians (as the control group) were selected by systematic sampling from health centers of Jiroft and Kerman Universities of Medical Sciences. Demographic information of physicians and data related to health centers and indicators were collected. Average times visiting a physician, village visit and forming health files indicators were calculated. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, t-test, chi-square and Pearson coefficient of correlations and through SPSS 16 software package. There was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to demographic variables. According to t-test, there was statistically significant differences between the two groups in percentage of forming health files (P=0.05) and percentage of village visits (P=0.001); and the mean of these indicators in lodge physicians was more than that in the non- lodge physicians and there was no significant difference between the two groups in average times visiting a physician (P=0.35). Some strategies such as increasing the number of lodge health centers, providing transportation facilities, suitable physical spaces and equipment seem necessary in order to improve indicators.