Presenting a Quaternary Prevention Model for the Rural Family Physician Program in Iran with an Interpretive Structural Modeling Approach

Abstract

Background: Due to its ethical approach and its protection of patients and their interests, quaternary prevention can increase the quality‑of‑service provision and decrease costs and the wastage of resources. The present study used interpretive structural modeling (ISM) to classify the effective factors and determine a quaternary prevention model for Iran’s Rural Family Physician Program. Methods: This study was a qualitative study with an ISM approach. Twenty‑five health system experts and faculty members participated in the study. The interrelationships between the factors were determined using ISM, and after classification, the driving and dependence power of the factors were specified using MICMAC analysis. Results: The 20 factors were classified into five levels. The results indicated that patient interest and vulnerable groups had the highest effectiveness, and officials’ and policymakers’ commitment to providing serious support for family physicians had the highest affectability. The factors were placed into the two groups of linkage and dependence based on the MICMAC analysis. Conclusions: The new technologies are costly and sometimes only suitable for a specific group of patients. Costs and the issues of induced demand and defensive medicine necessitate a different view of health service distribution. The preventive and strategic view and the comprehensiveness of family physician services make quaternary prevention possible by providing high-risk and vulnerable groups with essential services based on patient needs and conditions with more benefit than harm.