Investigating the outsourcing process of paraclinical units in selected hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical science in 2024
Journal of Behdasht dar Arseh (i.e., Health in the Field),
Vol. 13 No. 3 (1404),
10 June 2026
,
Page 69-81
https://doi.org/10.22037/jhf.v13i3.49980
Abstract
Background and Aim: Outsourcing of health services is considered a strategy for increasing efficiency and improving service recipients’ satisfaction. This study was conducted to determine the status of the outsourcing process of paraclinical units in hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences based on the World Bank model.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 with the participation of 301 staff members and 15 contractors from outsourced paraclinical units. Data were collected using two valid questionnaires derived from the World Bank framework checklist. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics as well as the Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS software version 26. This study was conducted in full compliance with ethical principles.
Results: Among the staff, the main reported problems included insufficient attention to their concerns in contract design (43.8%), limited awareness of the monitoring and performance evaluation process (42%), irregular work meetings (43.3%), and delays in salary and benefits payments (34.8%). Among the contractors, issues such as inadequate awareness of the contractor selection criteria (53.3%) and limited employer support for enhancing workforce capacity (33.3%) were reported. Furthermore, pharmacy staff also evaluated the outsourcing process as significantly more aligned with the World Bank framework compared to other departments.
Conclusions: Paying attention to stakeholders’ concerns and involving them in the design of outsourcing processes, providing continuous training, strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, and developing fair incentive mechanisms can contribute to improving service quality and increasing service recipients’ satisfaction.
- Outsourcing
- Contracting
- Paraclinical services
- Hospital
How to Cite
References
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