Toktam Kianian

and 4 more

Background: In response to the aging population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, rising healthcare costs, and lifestyle changes in Iran, the importance of home health care (HHC) has grown significantly. This study aims to explore alternative scenarios for the development of HHC services in Iran’s health system by 2030 to address these emerging challenges effectively. Methods: This study employed a multi-method approach to scenario planning with a qualitative design, which was conducted in 3 phases from 2018 to 2020. In the first phase, a list of driving forces was extracted using qualitative views, two focus group discussions, and literature review. In the second phase, all factors identified in the previous phase were examined in terms of degree of uncertainty and cross- impact analysis, and three critical uncertainties were extracted. In the third phase, based on three critical uncertainties, four future scenarios of HHC were formulated, validated and scenario strategies were presented. Results: The results indicate three critical uncertainties, including “governance of HHC in the health system”, “economic conditions” and “spread and penetration rate of technology in society” based on which, three scenarios with the names “For Politics, for Power”, “For politics, for people” and “For people, for prosperity” were compiled. Conclusion: The development of HHC in Iran faces significant ambiguities and complexities. Therefore, it is essential to focus developmental efforts on three key areas: governance of HHC within the health system, the spread and penetration of technology in society, and economic conditions.