Challenges, barriers, and solutions for implementing of clinical practice guidelines: A qualitative study in southern Iran

Abstract

Abstract Background Identifying the challenges of implementing clinical practice guidelines can provide valuable information for decision-makers and health policymakers at the national and local levels. The implementation of clinical practice guidelines requires the development of strategies to facilitate their use. This research aimed to determine the challenges, barriers, and solutions for implementing clinical practice guidelines from the expert point of view in Bushehr University of Medical Sciences.Methods This is a qualitative research using content analysis conducted in 2022 in southern Iran. In-depth interviews were conducted with the physicians and experts of the health system. Interviewing continued until reaching the saturation level. Altogether, 22 experts were interviewed. The interview guide was used to explore experts' opinions. All the interviews were recorded and then transcribed. Finally, coding and data analysis was done using MAXQDA 2022 software.Results The analysis revealed 4 main themes and 20 sub-themes. The four main themes included challenges related to physician, medical education, health system and patients. The most common themes were the lack of sufficient training (related to the medical education system), the lack of equipment and infrastructure, and the lack of localization of clinical guidelines (related to the health system). The solutions included 4 main themes and 19 sub-themes.Conclusion The most mentioned topic by the experts was the training CPGs in the medical schools. In the current medical education system of Iran, the training of CPGs is not included in the curriculum. It is proposed to reform the medical education system in Iran.