Proposed model for integrating health and social welfare system in Iran

This study was performed to recognize the structure, covering criteria and basic duties of the ministry of welfare and social security in Iran and some selected countries and to choose an appropriate structure for Iran. This study is a comparative- explorative study and performed to draw a model for Iran health and welfare system according to health, medicare, welfare and social security system in the selective country on the basis of structural concentration. The results of this study showed some differences and some similarities in the structure of welfare and social security in target communities. Similarities: in most countries the basics of duties for reaching goals were the same. The structure was simple, brief and the planning was centralized and the performance was non-centralized. The whole structure of ministry of welfare and social security management was non-centralized. Differences: there were two different methods for analysis of welfare and social security; coverage method and occupational method. In most countries there was a strong bond between the health and treatment, and welfare and social security organizations. Changing the structure of the Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Welfare and Social Security; and combining these two Ministries into the Ministry of Health and Social Security can lead to more coordination in strategic planning; reduction in tasks overlap, redoing, treatment costs and social damages; and appropriate allocation of resources and increasing social welfare.