Identification of retention strategies for neurosurgeons in Iran: Results from expert panels.

The key challenge is how to encourage and retain health professionals in their work location. There is a list of policy options for this purpose but applying an appropriate and effective set of strategies requires a country level research. Our study aimed to identify retention strategies for neurosurgeons and examine both the importance and feasibility of the identified strategies using expert panels' point of view. First of all, a literature review was conducted to identify retention strategies for physicians. Then to gain consensus on the strategies and determine their importance and feasibility an expert panel was organized and a modified Delphi process was used. A total of 40 strategies were identified by the panel classified in seven categories of income and economic factors, professional/job factors, clinical infrastructure, personal/family factors, living condition and welfare, educational factors and career development, governmental regulations and management policies. Based on the study results, three areas of economic incentives, personal and professional factors got the greatest priority in health professional planning for retention purposes.