Comparison of Non-teaching and Teaching Hospitals in Iran as an Integrated Medical Education System and Health Services

Background: Hospitals, similar to other organizations, are complex social systems influenced by elements, such as staff, resources, and structures, that work to achieve specific goals. In terms of goals and missions, hospitals are divided into teaching and non-teaching categories. There are many differences in the nature and needs of these two types of hospitals that must be considered for proper operation by policymakers and managers. Objectives: The present study compared issues between non-teaching and teaching hospitals in Iran. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews according to an interview guide with 40 Iranian hospital managers and policymakers selected through purposive sampling in 2021. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis with an inductive approach using the MAXQDA software (version 10). Results: According to the results, the main categories of differences between non-teaching and teaching hospitals in Iran were as follows: legal and social responsibility, cost-effectiveness and efficiency, supply of resources, empowerment of human capital, goals and missions, external and internal communications, revenue-cost management, organizational structure, customer satisfaction, organizational behavior, clinical and support departments, hospital processes, type and level of services, manpower, performance evaluation, and the organization of the teaching mission. Conclusion: Practical findings of this study include understanding the complexity and instability of command unity in teaching hospitals, understanding the differences in organizational hierarchy, developing a mechanism to cover costs for clients, increasing the legal and social responsibility of the management team, prioritizing organizational goals, coordinating policy demands with providing resources, funding the teaching mission, organizing multiple supervisory organizations, establishing transparent communication between hospitals and colleges, understanding the complexity of processes, considering the change of individual and group communication, changing the performance appraisal system, and paying for performance. It is suggested that policymakers consider these issues in providing the resources and facilities needed for hospitals based on their function.