Pathology of the Research Sector in Iran's Health System with a Focus on Future

Abstract

Background:  Strengthening the functions of health research and taking a systematic approach to the development of science and technology are essential for overcoming current challenges in health sector. Therefore, the functional pathology of current research plays a crucial role in highlighting the gap between what is and what should be, thereby illuminating the path of scientific development in health sector with a focus on current challenges. Methods: This study utilized qualitative exploratory approaches, regarding interviews with experts and expert panel formation, to complement the authors' experiences in the field of research. In this process, relevant national upstream documents, experiences from other countries, and reviews of other documents were used to reinforce and analyze the findings. To adopt a future-oriented approach, the Future Triangle framework was employed to depict the tension between future images, the weight of past experiences, and the pressure of the current time. Results: The research functions were categorized into seven groups: leadership and guidance, research coordination and policy-making, translating upstream documents policies into operational programs, resource management, performance evaluation and monitoring, empowering the workforce and policy-making based on evidence and pathology. Under each category, strategies for moving away from the current situation were provided. Conclusion: The main solutions to address the current challenges in the country's health research system include agreement on concepts, a unified vision and stable procedures, strengthening the relationship between different levels of management (inter-ministerial, ministerial, and university), enhancing education and research at the level of medical ministry and universities, establishing appropriate structures for knowledge translation, strengthening national funds supporting the research, reforming the evaluation system, and undertaking a fundamental review of human resource empowerment model.