Meskarpour Amiri M^{1, 2} (MSc), Kazemian M² * ( PhD )

  ¹ Health Economics Department, Health Management Research Center,

  Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

  2Health Economics Department, Medicine Faculty, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

  Original Article

  Received: 22 Jun 2014, Accepted: 27 Sep 2014

  Abstract

  Introduction: The insured referrals to non-contracted health institutes indicate inappropriate accountability of the contracted institutes to the patients’ needs. It also reduces the control and supervision of health insurance organizations over the quality and cost of healthcare services. The aim of this study was to assess and analyze the effect of accessibility and financing of the contracted health institutes on referrals rate of the insured to receive health care from the contracted institutes.

  Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out in 2012. The effect of accessibility and financing on referral rate was assessed using the regression demand equation. Data were obtained from the Iranian Health Insurance Organization. Data were analyzed using the Excel2007 and Eviews7.

  Results: The results showed that 10% increase in accessibility to the contracted health institutes raised the referral rate by 2.9% and 2.0% to inpatient and outpatient healthcare services, respectively. Also, 10% increase in financing health services by the contracted health institutes, raised the referrals by 7.7%.

  Conclusion: Regarding limited effect of the accessibility on demand of the insured, it could be concluded that increasing the number of contracts for the insurance organization do not increase referrals. It seems that the financing indicator is a more influencing factor on the rate of referrals.

  Keywords: social health insurance, accessibility, financing, referrals

  Please cite this article as follows:

 Meskarpour Amiri M, Kazemian M. Assessment and Impact Analysis of Accessibility and Financing Indicators on Referrals of Insured to Health Care Institutes Contracted with Social Health Insurance Organization in Iran . Hakim Health Sys Res 2014 17(3): 242- 249.