Designing Communicable Disease Reporting System for Iranian Hospitals

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: reporting of communicable diseases is an essential component of controlling them. It may include an early detection of epidemics. At times, hospitals admit patients who refer there for treatment. Hospitals can also be the start point of an epidemic. Due to different problems in the hospital reporting system in Iran, this study was conducted to clarify these potential problems and develop potential solutions in the reporting systems of communicable diseases. Methods: This study was a phenomenological qualitative study. In this study, 54 people were assessed using structured interviews and focus group discussions. The participants in the study were managers, nurses, hospital experts, professional experts of health networks in Kurdistan and East Azarbaijan, and Iranian Center for Disease control. The study was performed using content analysis . Results: our study showed the following results; lack of feedback and incentives, lack of instructions and duties, lack of a clear reporting system in the hospital, differences in reporting methods, managers unfamiliarity with reporting levels, Inconsistencies between the department of health and department of health care, and the need to develop reporting guidelines for hospitals . Conclusion: The absence of a clear procedure for reporting infectious diseases in the Iranian hospitals require development of guidelines for reporting these communicable diseases. This process calls for hospital collaboration with the health care sector at all administrative levels. Eventually, improving the reporting system in the Iranian hospitals is a process that should not be ignored by policy makers . Keywords: disease reporting, communicable diseases, hospital, health care system, qualitative research