Expected Outcomes from Family Medicine Specialized Graduates in Iranian Health System from the Viewpoints of Stakeholders: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of training and applying family physicians in the health system is to optimize rating the services and referral system. The purpose of this study was to explanation of the expected outcomes of family medicine graduates from the viewpoints of professors, assistants and senior managers of the health system and its comparison with the defined consequences in the curriculum of this major at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

This is a qualitative study with the content analysis approach. Sampling method is non-random and purposive. Three focus group discussions and six semi-structured interviews conducted with 31 participants, including three groups of professors, assistants and senior managers of the health system by FGD method and also including 25 participants and 6 individuals were used for individual interview. Interviews continued until data saturation. Content analysis method used for data analysis.

After conceptualizing, extracting and coding themes into 56 themes, the findings were categorized into three general themes: Occupational status (such as: Conscientious physician, policy maker, supervisor or provider), job duties (Education, research, management, consulting and visit) and employment outcomes (such as: Cost reduction, unnecessary refer and population health promotion).

The use of specialist family physicians in positions such as the physician in charge of the health complex and service provision in comprehensive health centers can have outcomes such as appropriating referrals, reducing costs and preventing overuse, and reducing the workload of levels 2 and 3.