title: The decision-making matrix of propensity to outsourcing hospital services in Bandar Abbas, Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the level of managers' propensity for outsourcing the services in hospitals using decision-making matrix.
  
  
  METHODS
  The applied, cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals affiliated to Bandar Abbas University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2013, and comprised managers and employees of four service units: radiology, laboratory, nursing, and nutrition services. Data was collected using two questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Data was analysed using SPSS 16 and by using decision-making matrix.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 122 subjects in the study, 12(9.8%) were managers and 110(90.2%) were other employees. The highest and lowest propensities for outsourcing were related to nutrition (66.6%) and nursing services one (8.33%). The decision-making matrix showed low outsourcing of the nursing, radiology, and laboratory services based on the services' features. However, there were difference between the results obtained from laboratory service decision-making matrix and the propensity for laboratory service outsourcing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The difference between the results obtained from the matrix and managers' viewpoint can be due to the lack of managers' sufficient attention to the features of hospital services when making decisions on outsourcing them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayati
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate of Health Policy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fateme
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Setoodehzadeh
authors.affiliation: School of Management, Payam Noor University, Damavand, Iran.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heydarvand
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khammarnia
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ravangard
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Trauma Research Center, Department of Anesthesia, Faculty Paramedical, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sobhani
mesh_terms: D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D020416:Outsourced Services / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Outsourcing, Service features, Propensity for outsourcing services.