Determining Risk Management Priorities and Suggesting Strategies in the Management of Family Health Centres

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study is to identify the risks faced by decision-makers in the management of Family Health Center (FHC) and to propose strategies according to their relative importance. Materials and Methods: Eight different risks were identified as a result of the literature review. In order to evaluate the identified risks, four different physicians with at least ten years of managerial experience in FHCs and two health managers with at least ten years of experience in their field were included in the study. SWARA (Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) method was used to evaluate and analyze the opinions. SWARA method is a weight calculation method based on expert opinions developed for the finalization of decision problems. Results: According to the results of the analysis, experts ranked financial risks (%27), clinical and patient safety risks (%21), and operational risks (%15) as the most important risks, respectively. Hazard risks (%4) were assessed as the least risky in relative terms. For FHCs to carry out their activities effectively, financial risks should be minimized first. Conclusions: Additional measures should be taken by the public for the use and rental of FHCs. Diversification of other sources of income can be ensured by expanding the health services provided beyond the resource transfer linked to the public budget. Regional investment and incentives can be developed by municipalities. Strengthening data protection policies to assess the compliance of medical practices with legal standards and to ensure the security of personal patient data can also reduce legal risks. In FHCs, general safety issues, especially patient safety, are also priority issues that should be investigated and legislation should be developed. In addition, management courses/training can be added to the family medicine specialty curriculum to improve the managerial skills of physicians.