A structural model for evaluation of thestructural complexity dimensions of health and treatment network of Firuzabad, Fars Province, Iran, using design structure matrix and quality function deployment techniques

Design structure matrix (DSM) and quality function deployment (QFD) are new methods for evaluation of the structural complexities that in the recent years have been considered by scientific and research centers worldwide. The Study was conducted to determine the structural complexity pattern of health and treatment, Iran, and its accommodation with the beneficiaries’ needs. This is a descriptive research with functional aspects. In this research, at first, by studying the existing network functions, its organizational structure was extracted. Then, direct and indirect dependencies between the organizational units were evaluated using the DSM technique. The results of these dependencies were used on the roof of house of quality in the QFD method and the final structure was obtained by combining the results of both methods. According to the findings, the whole network headquarter duties can be delegated to the Health Center and the headquarter can be removed from the main structure. Combining the two techniques will change the Health Center organizational structure from product-based to sectorial or branched, as well as the hospital structure from the machine to the professional bureaucracy. However, no significant changes will occur in the organizational structure of the emergency center. Finally, the overall structure of the health and treatment network would have a hybrid format. Combination of the mentioned techniques with organizational structure optimization and without changing the network functions will lead to the formation of a more flexible structure that can better fulfill the network beneficiaries’ needs.