Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Iran: The Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat Matrix Analysis

Abstract

Background: Improving the quality of rehabilitation services is one of the priorities of the health care system. The aim of this study was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) field in Iran using the SWOT analysis.

Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2017 and 2018. The final list of SWOT was arranged using the Delphi technique, combining similar responses and removing marginal responses by an 8-member committee consisting of members of the Iranian Society of PM&R. Internal and external environmental factors were evaluated and measured by participants. Participants were selected from faculty members, executive planners, and residents; 18, 9, and 6 persons respectively. Finally, the strategies and strategic position were determined considering SWOT scores and using a four-cell SWOT matrix.

Results: The total score of internal environmental factors (strengths and weaknesses) in evaluation matrix was 245, indicating that there were more weaknesses than strengths. The total score of external environmental factors (opportunities and threats) in evaluation matrix was 264, which indicated that there were more opportunities than threats.

Conclusion: SWOT analysis promoted awareness among service providers regarding the current functioning of a rehabilitation program. According to the SWOT model results in this study, five development strategies were determined using opportunities and strengths. It can be assumed that the strengths may be used to benefit from opportunities as much as possible. Determining the strategies based on strategic position analysis appears to be the first priority to solve the problems of PM&R.