Determining the Effective Components on Allocation of Funds from Donors’ Participation in the Health System: A Qualitative Study

One of the most important tasks of managers is optimal allocation of financial resources, and maximum productivity of available facilities. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting optimal allocation of financial resources from the donors’ participation in the health system from the experts' point of view.

The present study was a qualitative research that was done using a semi-structured interview with 41 managers, policymakers, the experts employed in social deputies of Iranian Ministry of Health and medical universities, active donors in the field of health in Iran, and faculty members of economics department. All interviews were coded after transcription, and reviewed several times. They were categorized by using data analysis framework in the form of main and subthemes.

There were 3 groups extracted from the interviews, financial sustainability framework, corporate finance framework, and funding allocation. Moreover, 6 main themes including recruitment, maintenance, and active participation of donors, organization and program planning, executive factors, mode of investment, identification of real needs, and need-based decision making criteria, and 36 subthemes were extracted.

Benefits would not have a good return, if are not within the framework of laws and regulations and in line with the real needs of society. Health system policymakers and managers should prioritize the real needs of the health system, and direct the funds generated from donors within these priorities.