title: Futures of elderly care in Iran: A protocol with scenario approach.
abstract: Background:The number of people aged 60 and older is increasing faster than other age groups worldwide. Iran will experience a sharp aging population increase in the next decades, and this will pose new challenges to the healthcare system. Since providing high quality aged-care services would be the major concern of the policymakers, this question arises that what types of aged care services should be organized in the coming 10 years? This protocol has been designed to develop a set of scenarios for the future of elderly care in Iran.Methods:In this study, intuitive logics approach and Global Business Network (GBN) model were used to develop scenarios for elderly care in Iran. In terms of perspective, the scenarios in this approach are normative, qualitative with respect to methodology and deductive in constructing the process of scenarios. The three phases of GBN model are as follows: 1) Orientation: Identifying strategic levels, stakeholders, participants and time horizon; 2) Exploration: Identifying the driving forces and key uncertainties; 3) Synthesis: Defining the scenario logics and constructing scenario storyline.Results:Presently, two phases are completed and the results will be published in mid-2016.Conclusion:This study delivers a comprehensive framework for taking appropriate actions in providing care for the elderly in the future. Moreover, policy makers should specify and provide the full range of services for the elderly, and in doing so, the scenarios and key findings of this study could be of valuable help.
authors.affiliation: Ph.D Candidate, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, & Research Center for Health Services Management, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. goharinezhad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Salime
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goharinezhad
authors.affiliation: Professor, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, & Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. maleki@mohme.gov.ir.
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maleki
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran. baradaran.hr@iums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Baradaran
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, & Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ravaghih@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ravaghi
keywords: Elderly-care; Future; Iran; Scenario