phat 20(23): e6

Research Article

Telepediatric assistance in Iran: Specialist and subspecialty challenges

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  • @ARTICLE{10.4108/eai.22-9-2020.166356,
    author={Seyed Masoud Mirmoeini and Seyed Sina Marashi Shooshtari and Gopi Battineni and Francesco Amenta and Seyed Khosrow Tayebati},
    title={Telepediatric assistance in Iran: Specialist and subspecialty challenges},
    journal={EAI Endorsed Transactions on Pervasive Health and Technology},
    volume={6},
    number={23},
    publisher={EAI},
    journal_a={PHAT},
    year={2020},
    month={9},
    keywords={Telepediatrics, Far-Away Areas, Pediatric Assistant, Distributing Physician, Specialist, and Sub-Specialist},
    doi={10.4108/eai.22-9-2020.166356}
}
  • Seyed Masoud Mirmoeini
    Seyed Sina Marashi Shooshtari
    Gopi Battineni
    Francesco Amenta
    Seyed Khosrow Tayebati
    Year: 2020
    Telepediatric assistance in Iran: Specialist and subspecialty challenges
    PHAT
    EAI
    DOI: 10.4108/eai.22-9-2020.166356
Seyed Masoud Mirmoeini1, Seyed Sina Marashi Shooshtari1, Gopi Battineni2, Francesco Amenta2, Seyed Khosrow Tayebati2,*
  • 1: Virtual School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 1417466191, Iran
  • 2: Telemedicine and Telepharmacy Center, School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy
*Contact email: khosrow.tayebati@unicam.it

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Having justice for easy access to health services may probably be a standard feature and indisputable right of all health policies. The health policy of Iran enunciates this right. Unfortunately, as may happen in many countries, the execution of this policy depends on different factors. Among these parameters should be quoted as the suitable distribution of professionals, hospitals, and medical facilities. On the other hand, in Iran, there are many other problems linked to accessing areas with natural hindrances.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we analyzed the primary studies that report specialty and subspecialty challenges that had been faced by Iran to improve pediatric assistance.

METHODS: Conduction of literature search in PubMed and CINAHL libraries was done, especially studies from 2010 to 2019. A Boolean operated ‘MeSH’ term was used for search. Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) scoring was adopted to assess the quality of each study.

RESULTS: A total of 118 studies were displayed, and among them, 102 were excluded due to duplication and study relevance. Study selection was madebased on its content were classified into two groups (1) shortage and unsuitable distribution of specialist and sub-specialist physicians in Iran, and (2) studies that explain the status of degradation in different areas of Iran. Outcomes demonstrated that Iran is generally suffering the shortage and unsuitable distribution of specialists and sub-specialists. This lack is particularly crucial in deprived and far-away areas from the cities.

CONCLUSION: The present study analyzed in detail the current data regarding pediatric health services (specialist and subspecialty) and health-specific facilities distribution in the country.

Keywords
Telepediatrics, Far-Away Areas, Pediatric Assistant, Distributing Physician, Specialist, and Sub-Specialist
Received
2020-05-31
Accepted
2020-09-16
Published
2020-09-22
Publisher
EAI
http://dx.doi.org/10.4108/eai.22-9-2020.166356

Copyright © 2020 S.M. Mirmoeini et al., licensed to EAI. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, which permits unlimited use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium so long as the original work is properly cited.