Rahavard Salamat Journal

Background and objective: Proper use of time is essential for an optimal and effective visit. The most important difficulty in managing an outpatient center is the amount of visit time that it is always much lower than expected time. The aim of this study was to compare visit time in Ahvaz teaching hospitals and its standard value and, assessing why and how did this difference create.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. With 12 physicians employed in hospitals of Ahvaz were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire. At the end of each interview, data were checked by participants. Finally, context of early interviews were analyzed by a faculty member.

Results: In this study, 51 sub-themes and 7 main themes were identified from physicians’ view on causes about visit time. These themes included: reasons of not observe standard visit time, visit time and the quality of prescribing, visit time and perceived quality, benefits of increasing time visit for patients, physicians and hospitals, disadvantages of  increasing visit time  for them, the implementation conditions of standard visit time and, proper implementation principles of standard visit time.

Conclusions: In recent decades, visit time was increased. According to the most participants’ view, amount of visit time depends on the doctor and patient and cannot determined standard value to it. But in general, due to the overcrowding of patients in public hospitals that they refer from different areas of city, province and neighboring provinces, 10-minute visit time would be appropriate on average.