Abstract

Roya Zamani, Somayeh Hessam* and Abbas Yazdanpanah

ABSTRACT

Introduction: One of the most important tasks of healthcare team is to offer primary healthcare services based on family physician program. Therefore, it is not possible to use the term " family physician" without offering such services. The present study was designed to test the effect of family physician program on mother-child health indices in rural population of medical science & healthcare services university in Larestan from 2002 to 2004. The results were compared with those from 2006 to 2008. Method: To collect data, the researcher-conducted checklist has been used. Information related to mother-child health indices was collected from health records and indices extracted from vital horoscope and statistical information forms. Information were coded and analyzed by SPSS21. The effect size of family physician program on mother-child health indices has been measured before and after implementation of the program using paired T-test. Results: Results of the present research indicated that implementation of family physician program had a positive effect on health indices before pregnancy and postpartum healthcare for at least two times. However, no significant effect was seen on improvement of such indices. In addition, such program decreases number of cesarean sections in the first delivery. Conclusion: Generally, it can be said that implementation of family physician program improved not only rural access to healthcare services but also it promoted efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services.