Factors Affecting of the Mean Rates Visiting-Hour Indicator in the Hospitals of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences after Implementation of Health System Reform Plan

A doctor's obligation to follow standard time of visiting patients has an important role in diagnosis and treatment of diseases and decreasing in visiting times. This study aimed to determine the trend of changes in the rate of Physicians' visiting-hour indicator after carrying out the Health System Reform Plan. This comparative study compared the indicator from September 23, 2014 to 20 March 2015 and from September 23, 2016 to 20 March 2017.Research population included all 24 hospitals located in Mazandaran. Information on visiting activities in private clinics in each hospital (including the hours of Physicians' activity and the number of visited patients, teaching vs. non-teaching hospital, Physician's employment kind and his/her profession, etc.) was extracted and analyzed in p The mean rates of visiting-hour indicator were 11.9±17.7 and 8.4±4.2 first year and second year, respectively (p=.002). The mean rates of this indicator amounted to 12/0±15.7, 9.7±12.4 and 7.8±4.2 for surgery, internal medicine and other professions, respectively (p=.002). In first year, the mean rates of the indicator amounted to 10.3±12.1 and 14.5±23.4 in non-teaching and teaching hospitals, respectively (p=.02). In second year, the mean rates of the indicator were 8.1±3.6 and 8.8±4.9 in non-teaching and teaching hospitals, respectively (p= .1). The mean rates of visiting-hour indicator were significant difference with Expertise (p< .001) and Ownership (p= .43) The mean of visiting-hour indicator recovered in second year (2016-2017) in comparison with that of first year (2014-2015). Therefore, while paying attention to continuous improvement of this process, more monitoring is recommended to achieve the objectives of this important service package.