Designing a health observatory system for the Islamic Republic of Iran

Designing a health observatory system for the Islamic Republic of Iran Behzad Damari 1 , Alireza Heidari 2 , Arash Rashidian 3 , Abbas Vosoogh Moghaddam 4 , Ardeshir Khosravi 5 , Siamak Alikhani 6 1. Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Health Management and Social Development Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran 3. School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 4. Secretariat of the High Council for Health and Food Security, ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran 5. Centre for Health Network Management, Deputy of Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran 6. Secretariat of the Applied Research Coordination Council, ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran Payesh 2020; 19 (5): 499 – 509 Accepted for publication: 28 September 2020 [EPub a head of print-10 October 2020] Objective (s): Health surveillance systems provide regular and continuous monitoring and analysis of health issues, coordination of information production collections and ensuring the use of information. Strategic guidance to the (2025) prospect requires precise, comprehensive and timely information. According to the rules of the fifth and sixth five-year development plans of the I.R. of Iran and the original features of the health policy system, it is necessary to design a health monitoring system. This study aimed to design a health observatory system in Iran. Methods: This was a system design study. Initially, the principles for designing this system were formulated by reviewing the experiences of other countries, the history of the subject in the country, documents, analyzing the status of production and managing health information, and studying the platforms for deploying the observatory system. Then, prepared draft was reviewed and finalized in three stages by experts, and representatives of data and information producers using a written letter and a focused group discussion. Results: In this proposed model, principles of observatory system, observation functions, types of reporting methods, added outputs and value, observatory system products, main dimensions of observatory system, processes, procedures and standards, financial resources, information security and executive guarantee was considered that can be implemented and deployed in one of the organizational units. Conclusion: The system designed with the approval of the High Council of Health and Food Security can lead to obtaining the budget line of national surveys in the parliament or the program organization and facilitate its establishment in one of the universities or the headquarters of the Ministry of Health.