Accuracy of Physician Directories in Tehran Considering the Present Situation and Improvement Suggestions

Abstract

Background: Physician directories are among the most important databases in health systems. Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the accuracy of physician directories in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Tehran, the capital of Iran, was selected for study. Specialists', fellowships' and subspecialists' information were extracted from Islamic Republic of Iran Medical Council (IRIMC) website and completed using the White Book. The data were gathered through telephone interviews in 2010, which included the physicians' names, sexes, types of specialties, office phone numbers, and office addresses. Results: The information of 5475 physicians was extracted from databases. The findings showed that 59.2% of phone numbers were registered correctly. These structural and functional defects may occur due to incomplete updating cycles. Conclusions: The study findings reflected the necessity of establishing revision cycles in studied databases and providing a basic framework for a national medical directory.