Evidence Based Health Policy, Management and Economics

The Necessity of a New Look at Nurses with Postgraduate Education; Challenges and Opportunities

2025-05-11T09:25:47+00:00

Postgraduate education in nursing is a valuable investment in the professional and personal development of nurses. This level of education not only improves the quality of patient care, but also contributes to the development and advancement of the nursing profession. Inadequate use of knowledge and lack of support in the workplace, inadequate compensation for educational qualifications, and lack of use in leadership and management roles are among the most important challenges facing nursing graduates. Personal and professional development, higher job satisfaction, and greater prestige are among the benefits that can be noted in nursing graduate studies.

Strategies for Internationalizing Research and Technology in the Medical Universities of Iran

2025-05-11T09:26:02+00:00

The Article Abstract is not available.

Exploring the Utilization of AI on Financial Services and Operations

2025-05-11T09:26:16+00:00

Background: The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in financial services and operations has gained momentum due to its potential to completely change the industry. The main objective of this paper is to explore the utilization of AI in financial services and operations by identifying key utilizations and determining the relationships among them through Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM).

Methods: The study employs a thematic analysis to identify and categorize the key utilizations of AI in financial services and operations. Expert insights are gathered to validate these categories and ensure comprehensive coverage. Following this, ISM is utilized to establish a connection between these utilizations and to construct a hierarchical model that elucidates the interactions and dependencies between them. This approach helps to map out the structure of AI utilizations within the financial sector and prioritize areas for strategic focus.

Results: Using thematic analysis, various dimensions for the utilization of AI in financial decision-making were identified, including data analysis capabilities, automation and efficiency, decision support systems, risk management enhancements, market trend analysis, personalized financial services, compliance and regulatory adherence, portfolio optimization, fraud prevention and detection, customer relationship management (CRM) enhancement, operational efficiency improvement, enhanced financial forecasting, fraud detection and prevention, customer experience enhancement, regulatory compliance, investment decision support, data security and privacy, business process optimization, strategic planning and decision making, and supply chain management. The model depicting the relationships between these dimensions was obtained through ISM.

Conclusion: This research highlights the importance of a structured approach to understanding the utilization of AI in financial services and operations. The results highlight the need to address both technological and strategic dimensions to fully leverage AI’s potential. By utilizing the insights gained from this study, financial institutions can strategically plan AI implementation, enhancing their competitiveness and sustainability in the digital era.

Academic Leadership Skills and Professionalism of Senior Academic Leaders from Educators’ Viewpoints

2025-05-11T09:26:30+00:00

Background: An efficient performance evaluation mechanism is essential for senior educational managers to ensure accountability and continuous improvement in educational systems. This study aimed to develop an academic leader’s evaluation instrument and evaluate senior academic leaders at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in two phases in 2022-2024. In the first phase, an evaluation instrument of academic leaders was developed and validated from the viewpoint of educators. Also, content validity was assessed using quantitative content validity indices with the participation of 17 experts. The internal consistency of the instrument was assessed with the participation of 50 faculty members. In the second phase, the performance of senior academic leaders was examined from the perspective of educators. Data was analyzed using descriptive tests (Mean, SD, percentage).

Results: The evaluation instrument was developed with 34 items in two categories of professionalism (12 items) and educational managerial performance (22 items). The content validity of the instrument was confirmed by Scale-Level Content Validity Index (S-CVI/Ave) =0.89. The internal consistency of the instrument was reported Cronbach's alpha = 0.82. The results showed that the performance of professional behavior (4.52 ± 0.12) and educational managerial performance (4.49 ± 0.11) of academic leaders of colleges were evaluated at the desired level.

Conclusion: In the present study, the instrument may be used in the education system for measuring the performance of academic leaders in the two domains of professional behavior and educational management performance. The present results showed that the adherence of academic leaders to professional principles was reported at a desired level.

Analysis of Direct Costs of COVID-19 Treatment at Imam Sajjad Hospital in Shahriar

2025-05-11T09:26:45+00:00

Background: The COVID-19 virus (Corona) is recognized as one of the greatest global health challenges in the 21st century. In addition to its unwanted effects on individual health, this disease has also had significant financial and economic impacts. Hospitals, as the most important centers for providing health services, play a very vital role.

Methods: This study investigated and analyzed direct costs of treating COVID-19 in Imam Sajjad (AS) State Hospital in Shahriar. To this end, after performing the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and confirming the non-normality of data distribution, non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used.

Results: The results showed that the hypothesis of normality of the data distribution for the age parameter was rejected. Also, comparisons showed that gender and age variables had an impact on treatment costs, while having an underlying disease and disease severity had no significant impact on costs. In regression analyses, costs of testing, medication, CT scan, radiology, and echocardiography had an impact on the total cost of treatment. Moreover, the cost paid by insurance was strongly correlated with the total cost of treatment.

Conclusion: The analyses showed that some factors such as gender, age, and specific costs such as testing and medications had an impact on treatment costs. These findings can help improve financial resource management in dealing with similar diseases.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Entrepreneurship and Economic Outcomes in Emerging Markets: A Difference-in-Differences Approach

2025-05-11T09:27:05+00:00

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted global economic systems, with emerging markets facing unique challenges due to structural vulnerabilities and limited institutional resilience. While existing literature has explored macroeconomic shocks, the specific effects on entrepreneurship and the role of policy interventions in mitigating these impacts remain underexamined. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how the pandemic affected entrepreneurial activity and broader economic outcomes in emerging markets, with a focus on the efficacy of government responses and adaptive strategies.

Methods: A quasi-experimental Difference-in-Differences (DID) approach was employed to compare pre- and post-pandemic entrepreneurship indicators and macroeconomic data across 15 emerging markets. Data were sourced from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, International Labour Organization (ILO), and national statistical agencies (2018–2022). Variables included business closure rates, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), investment levels, unemployment trends, fiscal stimulus allocations, and digital technology adoption. Robustness checks accounted for cross-country heterogeneity in income levels, industrial composition, and institutional quality.

Results: The pandemic triggered a 27% average increase in business closures and a 15% decline in SME investment across sampled countries. Unemployment rates rose by 9.3%, disproportionately affecting informal sectors. Government interventions, particularly fiscal stimulus packages exceeding 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) and targeted SME tax relief, reduced closure rates by 12% and preserved 8% of jobs. Digital transformation including e-commerce adoption, mitigated revenue losses by 18% in sectors with high pre-pandemic digital readiness. Cross-country analysis revealed that lower-middle-income economies experienced 35% greater entrepreneurial disruption than upper-middle-income counterparts, highlighting the role of institutional resilience and industrial diversification.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 crisis underscored the fragility of entrepreneurial ecosystems in emerging markets, and also demonstrated the critical role of adaptive policies and digital infrastructure. Sustainable recovery requires integrated strategies combining fiscal support, institutional capacity-building, and technology-driven entrepreneurship. This study contributes to policy discourse by quantifying the efficacy of interventions and providing a framework for enhancing economic resilience in future crises.

Impact of Exchange Rate Uncertainty on Health Expenditures of Urban Households in Iran )1973-2023(

2025-05-11T09:27:19+00:00

Background: Evidence from Iran’s economy indicates that many economic variables, including household healthcare expenditures, can be influenced by exchange rate uncertainty. Previous studies suggest that exchange rate increases healthcare costs through two channels; general price inflation and higher prices of imported medicines and medical supplies. The present study aims to investigate the impact of unofficial exchange rate uncertainty on urban household healthcare costs in Iran, alongside two other variables: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Methods: This applied study utilized time series data to examine the effects of unofficial exchange rate uncertainty, (GDP), and (CO₂) emissions on urban household healthcare costs during the period 1971–2023. Data were collected from the Statistical Center of Iran and the Central Bank. The Phillips-Perron and Augmented Dickey-Fuller tests were used to assess data stationarity. Moreover, exchange rate uncertainty was extracted using GARCH method, the research model was estimated via the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) approach, and coefficient stability was evaluated using Hansen’s test.

Results: The model estimates revealed that unofficial exchange rate uncertainty had a significant positive effect on Iranian household healthcare costs. A 1% increase in unofficial exchange rate uncertainty led to a 0.36% rise in healthcare expenditures. The corresponding coefficients for (GDP) and (CO₂) emissions were 1.3% and 1.07%, respectively.

Conclusion: Exchange rate uncertainty contributes to increased healthcare costs and may threaten public health. Therefore, policymakers in macroeconomics and related sectors should adopt measures to reduce exchange rate uncertainty in Iran’s economy, thereby mitigating its adverse effects on societal health.

Comparison of Hospital Accreditation Standards in Selected Worlds: A Comparative Review

2025-05-11T09:27:35+00:00

Background: Accreditation of hospitals plays a significant role in increasing the safety, quality and effectiveness of medical services and increasing the efficiency of hospitals. This study has been conducted with the aim of investigating and comparing the international accreditation standards of the United States, Canada, Australia and France with the national accreditation system of Iran.

Methods: This study examined the accreditation standards of five countries, United States, Canada, Australia, France and Iran, as a comparative study using a six-steps protocol in 2024. Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, ISI/Web of Science (WOS), Scopus and Iranian databases such as MagIran, SID and Irandoc were searched from 2017 to 2023. Ritchie's framework analysis method was used for data analysis.

Results: The review and comparison of Iran's national accreditation standards with the international accreditation standards of USA, Canada, Australia and France showed that USA, having 304 standards and 1218 measures and covering clinical, managerial and organizational dimensions and education and research, has the most complete and comprehensive standards. In the accreditation standards of the United States, Canada, France and Australia, there is a joint emphasis on improving safety, clinical effectiveness, consumer information, staff development, accountability and patient and community participation. This is while in Iran, the emphasis is on creating facilities and basic information and checking the competence in human and technical resources. The percentage of compliance of Iran's accreditation standards with American, Canadian, Australian and French accreditation standards is 50%, 54%, 57% and 45%, respectively.

Conclusion: Amendments should be made in Iran's accreditation system in order to improve the content of the standards. In order to improve its effectiveness, Iran's accreditation needs the transparency of standards and measures, specific classification and grouping for standards, the use of a comprehensive view in developing standards, and changing the scoring scale of measures.