The COVID-19 pandemic has had profoundly short-term and long-term effects on all aspects of health systems (16–19). Meanwhile, research systems have also been affected by the corona epidemic (20, 21). In many cases, most resources and facilities of health systems have focused on the treatment sector, and other sectors, such as research, have encountered shortcomings due to the criticality of this epidemic (22, 23). However, due to the nature and scientific background of the medical profession, from the very beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, various countries have tried to fight against this epidemic by paying attention to research activities, especially in the field of vaccine production (24, 25). At Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, professors and administrators interested in research examined various aspects of this epidemic during various sessions and tried to keep this part of the health system active and effective by creating a conceptual model of the health research system. In this research, the so-called conceptual model has been developed using the opinions of academic experts and appropriate operational research techniques. One of the main limitations in achieving a practical model for the health research system in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences was the outbreak of Covid 19 epidemic. Due to the nature of their jobs, most of the experts did not have enough time to attend the meetings. Also, the novelty of designing the model of the research system had caused some problems.
The components identified in the health research system can take on different roles depending on their effectiveness or influence as well as their relationships with other components.
Management and leadership components, systems and databases, financing, human resources, and research process are located in the second quarter of the Mic Mac direct influences’ map. These components are the inputs of the health research system and are mainly influenced from outside this system. Therefore, they can also be named as environmental variables. Some changes in these components can completely affect the system under review, and even in some cases, defects in these components can lead to a crisis in the entire health research system. Since the research process component is located near the coordinate center, it can play a regulatory role in the research system (26).
The components of innovation, Sustainability, and culturalization are located in the third quarter of the map. These variables are considered independent and have little effect on the research system according to Mic Mac maps. The Sustainability component, like the research process component, is located near the coordinate center and is therefore one of the regulators of the research system (27, 28).
The knowledge management and science producing component is a linkage component, i.e., it has a high influence and dependence in the research system. This component is located in the first quarter of Mic Mac coordinate and can therefore play the role of an important and intermediate goal in the research system. Studies show that in many research systems, science producing and knowledge management are the basic functions of these systems (29–31).
The components of decision making, efficiency, satisfaction, effectiveness, equity, health promotion and responsiveness to community needs are among the outputs of the research system. However, paying attention to the position of these components shows that the dependency of components of health promotion and responsiveness to community needs is more than other components of this quarter (32, 33).
Considering that some of the studied components are located near the coordinate center and play a regulatory role, the research experts developed a conceptual model of the health research system, using the outputs of Table 1 and Fig. 2. In this model, the basic concepts of the process are used. To achieve the real position of each component, direct and indirect influence numbers related to each component have been used. The model presented in Fig. 3 can provide a clearer analysis of the role and position of the components.
To create a useful research system, it is necessary to provide sufficient and appropriate financial and human resources (Fig. 3). Human resources are the most important input of such a system, and other inputs are formed based on the needs of this component (34, 35). As a rule, the existence of an effective database is one of the requirements of any research system, and to guide these three components, a management and leadership system is needed. The mentioned components constitute the inputs of the research system in the health system.
It is very important to pay attention to the role of regulators in this model. Components such as research process, research Sustainability, and quality or innovation in research can keep research systems balanced in the health sector and ensure the survival of such systems (36). Also, the sustainability of such a system requires culturalization in each of the health systems.
Classifying research system outputs into three categories of outputs, outcomes, and impacts can be very helpful in policy-making, planning, and evaluation of research systems. Science production and knowledge management are in fact the primary outputs of any research system (37). If research systems have appropriate infrastructures to create, transfer, develop, and access knowledge, it is possible to produce systematic science in those systems and it can be hoped that this science will be used in other outputs of the health research system such as effectiveness or health promotion (38).