Background: One of the main challenges of the health system is providing fair access to services. The purpose of this study was to determine the indicators and barriers of fair access to outpatient services in Iran health system.

Methods: This qualitative research was conducted in the summer of 1399. The research community was policy makers, managers and planners of health field in the country who had a scientific-executive background in the field of health services management, health economics and health policy. The research sample was selected by purposive sampling method and the interview form was used to collect data.

Results: The results of the interviews analysis showed that the indicators of fair access to outpatient services are indicators related to manpower, indicators related to policy-making, indicators related to facilities and equipment, financial indicators, physical indicators, and demographic indicators. Barriers of fair access to outpatient services in the Iran health system include barriers related to policy-making, barriers related to resources, barriers related to manpower, infrastructure barriers, and financial barriers.

Conclusion: Regarding that the utilization of outpatient services has a great impact on patients' views about the hospital; and on the other hand, outpatient services are more used than inpatient services, it is necessary for planners and policy makers to take steps to improve the community health level by identifying the indicators affecting fair access to services and paying more attention to planning and removing obstacles.

Keywords and concepts: Access, fair, outpatient services.