Iran is a lower middle-income country with a population of over 70 millions (World Bank, 2007). Total expenditure on health in 2005 is estimated to be over 6% of GDP, and general government expenditure on health is about 52% of total health expenditure (WHO, 2007). The health system in Iran is organized into three levels. Specialty and super-specialty healthcare services (upper level) are mainly located in big cities. The other levels (district general hospitals and primary healthcare networks) are predominantly in small towns, semi-urban, rural, and remote areas (Regional Health Systems Observatory, 2002). The legislation for structure and duties of Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) was approved in 1988. Accordingly, faculties of medical sciences were detached from traditional universities, establishing the niversities of Medical Sciences and Health Services at the provincial level under the supervision of MOHME