THE EFFECT OF HEALTH SYSTEM REFORM PLAN ON PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF HEALTH AT AHVAZ UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES: 2012-2018

One of the fundamental changes in the health system of Iran is the implementation of the "Health System Reform Plan", the effects of which should be examined from various dimensions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of reform plan on performance indicators of health at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences.

In this descriptive-analytical study, the data of the selected health indicators of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in the period before and after the health system reform plan (from 2012 to 2018) were collected, described and analyzed with SPSS. Study indicators include the coverage of neonatal hypothyroidism screening, annual incidence of neonatal hypothyroidism, the prevalence of hypertension, prevalence of diabetes, coverage of rural family physicians, percentage of rural households with sanitary toilets, and percentage of rural households with sanitary disposal.

The highest rate of change with regard to rural family physician index was between 2013 and 2017 years with a mean difference of 22.263 and the highest percentage of rural households with sanitary disposal index was between 2012 and 2017 years with a mean difference of 9.169 (p=0.002 & p=0.009, respectively). Also the rate of hypertension and diabetes prevalence indices were significant. The coverage of neonatal hypothyroidism screening index, annual incidence of neonatal hypothyroidism, and the percentage of rural households with sanitary toilets was not significant.

The coverage of rural family physicians and the percentage of rural households with sanitary disposal has increased after the reform plan. Also, the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in populations over 30 years increased which is affected by various factors. The health reform plan has not affected coverage of neonatal hypothyroidism screening, annual incidence of neonatal hypothyroidism, and the percentage of rural households with sanitary toilets.