Alinia S¹ (MSc), Akbarisari A¹ * (PhD), Mehregan N² (PhD), Pourreza A¹ (PhD)

  ¹ Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health,

  Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

  ² Economic Research Institute, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

  Received: 26 Jul 2011, Accepted: 9 Dec 2012

  Abstract

  Introduction: Currently in Iran about 80000 GPs are responsible for patient’s visit and s everal factors affect the utilization rate of those services. The main aim of this study is to determine the effect of these factors on the level of GPs services.

  Methods: This study is a descriptive analytic study using panel data. Data were collected from Medical Services Insurance Organizations (MSIO), Iran Statistics Center and Central Bank for 2004-2009 years and estimates of results have been performed with Eviews.6 software.

  Results: Price and Income elasticity related to GP services were -0.03 and 0.08 respectively meaning that 10% increase in the price of doctor visits is associated with 0.3% reduction in their visits. In addition 10% increase in income of insured people is associated with 0.8% reduction in the GP visits.

  Conclusion: The most important factors in the use of GP services are access to medical insurance, price of GP visit and patient income respectively.

  Key words: Medical services insurance organization, Panel data, price elasticity, income elasticity, universal insurance.

  Please cite this article as follows:

  Alinia S, Akbarisari A, Mehregan N, Pourreza A. Factors Affecting MSIO Insured Utilization Rate from GPs Services in Iran Using Panel Data. Hakim Research Journal 2013 15(4): 300- 308.

  * Corresponding Author: Tehran, Enghelab sq, Ghods St, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, School of Public Health, Department of Health Management and Economic. Postal Code: 1417613151, PO: 15875-6951, Fax: 88989129,
Tel: +98- 21- 8898129. E-mail: akbarisari@sina.tums.ac.ir