Identifying the dimensions and components affecting paraclinical services in the social security organization

Health & Well-being is one of the most important fundamental human requirements and the main indicators of development and social welfare. However, with rising health costs and unlimited needs and dwindling health system resources, it is necessary to rethink new remedial behavior. Paraclinical services are an important and costly part of health services, it appears crucial to understand the elements that influence them.

This is a qualitative study that has been designed & performed from 23rd September 2019 to 23rd September 2021 through face-to-face interviews with selected experts. The project has been approved by the institutional review board of Islamic Azad University, Semnan branch through ethical registration codes as IR.IAU.SEMNAN.REC.1399.014. The first stage was to identify the dimensions and components affecting paraclinic services offered at Iran Social Security Organization (SSO) clinics & hospitals. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared. The interview has been arranged with SSO managers, experts and officials and finally analyzed through the thematic analysis method.

Doing qualitative research and conducting thematic analysis, paraclinical services were classified into three categories: input, process, and outcome. The inputs  category had 5 organizing themes including paraclinical structure, human resource empowerment, cost management, social responsibility and service purchasing. The processes consisted of four themes: organizing the acceptance and delivery of services, monitoring and evaluating implementation, interdisciplinary coordination, applying innovation, and creativity in service delivery. Finally, outputs included three themes: organizing disease prevention and health promotion, gaining a competitive advantage, and reducing health costs.

According to the study's findings, to purchase or rationally use paraclinical services, it is necessary to know the dimensions and components that affect them. Managers of the social security organization are urged to lay a greater focus on employee empowerment, the employment of innovative approaches, and interdepartmental collaboration to enhance paraclinical service supply. Additionally, they may better fulfill their social duties and enhance their workers' health services by monitoring and evaluating executive actions.