Strategic analysis of Iran’s primary healthcare system in epidemics: A scoping review

The primary health care system is the first point of contact for individuals, families and society with the health system, where basic and essential health services are provided in a place close to where people live or work. The primary health care system plays a critical role in responding to epidemics and should be strengthened. This study aimed to strategically analyse the Iranian primary health care system in responding to epidemics and to provide solutions to strengthen it.

This research was carried out using scoping review method. All studies related to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Iran’s primary health care system in responding to epidemics, indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ProQuest, SID and Magiran databases and Google Scholar search engine were searched using appropriate keywords and search strategies. Finally, 52 documents were selected and analyzed using framework analysis method.

Overal, 18 strengths, 10 weaknesses, 17 opportunities and 14 threats were identified for Iran’s primary health care system in responding to epidemics. Besides, 62 actions were suggested to strengthen Iran’s primary health care system in responding to the epidemics, which were grouped into six categories: governance and leadership, financing, health workers, equipment and medicine, health information system, and primary health care delivery. Using the military health staff for deprived areas, home quarantine of the infected, training health workers, social and psychological support for workers and using tele-medical services are necessary to strengthen Iran’s primary health care system.

Iran’s primary health care system is facing many challenges in responding to epidemics. Policy makers and senior managers of the health system should strengthen the country’s primary health care system using the suggested strategies.