title: Surveyor Management of Hospital Accreditation Program: A Thematic Analysis Conducted in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The surveyors in hospital accreditation program are considered as the core of accreditation programs. So, the reliability and validity of the accreditation program heavily depend on their performance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify the dimensions and factors affecting surveyor management of hospital accreditation programs in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study used a thematic analysis method, and was performed in Iran in 2014. The study participants included experts in the field of hospital accreditation, and were derived from three groups: 1. Policy-makers, administrators, and surveyors of the accreditation bureau, the ministry of health and medical education, Iranian universities of medical science; 2. Healthcare service providers, and 3. University professors and faculty members. The data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Following text transcription and control of compliance with the original text, MAXQDA10 software was used to code, classify, and organize the interviews in six stages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings from the analysis of 21 interviews were first classified in the form of 1347 semantic units, 11 themes, 17 sub-themes, and 248 codes. These were further discussed by an expert panel, which then resulted in the emergence of seven main themes - selection and recruitment of the surveyor team, organization of the surveyor team, planning to perform surveys, surveyor motivation and retention, surveyor training, surveyor assessment, and recommendations - as well as 27 sub-themes, and 112 codes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dimensions and variables affecting the surveyors' management were identified and classified on the basis of existing scientific methods in the form of a conceptual framework. Using the results of this study, it would certainly be possible to take a great step toward enhancing the reliability of surveys and the quality and safety of services, while effectively managing accreditation program surveyors.
authors.affiliation: Health Management Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Teymourzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mozhdeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramezani
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arab
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi Foroushani
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbari Sari
keywords: Hospital Accreditation Program; Qualitative Research; Surveyor Management; Thematic Analysis