Abstract
Background and Objectives: Taking advantage of private sector capabilities in providing health services was considered as a priority through Iran's latest health reform programs. Establishing health cooperatives and transferring health service provision to them through a public-private partnership method was the main strategy chosen in eastern Azerbaijan province of Iran. This study was aimed at comparing management status and staff satisfaction between health cooperatives and public health centers.
Materials and Methods: In this analytical study 9 health centers transferred to cooperatives and 18 current public health centers were compared considering staff satisfaction and management status. Study population was health service providing staff from these health centers in a time period from February to April 2002. Data were analyzed by SPSS 10 statistical package. Chi-Square and t tests were used to analyze data.
Results: Staff attitude towards management status of health center was found to be statistically higher in health cooperatives than public health centers in areas like: planning for staff welfare, existence of an annual plan, existence of a process improvement plan, good relationship with clients, team work,on time supply of consumer goods and required equipments. It was also shown that staff satisfaction in fields of sense of respect and sense of ownership and satisfaction with job environment relations was higher in health cooperatives compared to public health centers.
Conclusion: Findings of this study indicate that although health cooperatives are structurally similar to or better to say are copied from public health centers, but their managing style is quite different similar to other private managements. It seems that managing system in cooperatives acts more effectively in staff motivation and considering structural and payment limitations in public sector, health cooperatives can be a good alternative.