necessity of reviewing common performance evaluation methods in vice-chancellery for health of universities/schools of medical sciences in iran using excellence models

maleki mr1 (phd), nasrollahpour shirvani sd1 * (phd candidate), motlagh me2 (md), tofighi s3 (phd), kabir mj4 (phd candidate), jafari n4 (md)     1 department of health services management, faculty of management and medical sciences,   iran university of medical sciences, tehran, iran   2 department of pediatrics, jendishapour university of medical sciences, ahvaz, iran   3 department of health services management, baghiyatollah university, tehran, iran   4 department of community medicine, golestan university of medical sciences, gorgan, iran     received: 21 nov 2010 , accepted: 14 may 2011       abstract     introduction: performance evaluation is a major task for management of organizations. models of organizational excellence, modern techniques of performance evaluation, are used to identify strengths and to design improvement projects. this study aimed to assess current methods of performance evaluation in health departments of medical sciences universities in 2010.  methods: in this cross-sectional study, 13 universities were recruited using systematic randomization and stratified sampling. performance evaluation methods of the health departments of these universities were assessed. data were collected using a self- structured valid and reliable questionnaire. the questionnaires were completed face to face through interviewing with executives and experts in charge.   results: t he health departments of all 13 universities had annual self-assessment program. however, none of them took advantage of scientific models. all 13 universities had a few compiled indicators that mainly covered processes and key results of the performance. the results of performance evaluations were analyzed using purposes, trends and others however, they were not analyzed using reason. the assessment indicators in five universities were somewhat weighted. the other eight universities did not take any action in this regard.   conclusion: existing indicators are not able to determine true position of organization and compare it with similar organizations. application of one of the organizational excellence models is suggested.     key words: e valuation of performance, organizational excellence, indicator   hakim research journal 2011 14(1): 50- 56.       * corresponding author: babol university of medical sciences, ganjafroz st. babol, iran. tel: +98- 111- 2190631, +98- 911- 2165468, e-mail: [email protected]