Download or read book Voluntary Health Insurance in Europe Country Experience written by Sagan A. and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2016-07-20 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No two markets for voluntary health insurance (VHI) are identical. All differ in some way because they are heavily shaped by the nature and performance of publicly financed health systems and by the contexts in which they have evolved. This volume contains short structured profiles of markets for VHI in 34 countries in Europe. These are drawn from European Union member states plus Armenia Iceland Georgia Norway the Russian Federation Switzerland and Ukraine. The book is aimed at policy-makers and researchers interested in knowing more about how VHI works in practice in a wide range of contexts. Each profile written by one or more local experts identifies gaps in publicly-financed health coverage describes the role VHI plays outlines the way in which the market for VHI operates summarises public policy towards VHI including major developments over time and highlights national debates and challenges. The book is part of a study on VHI in Europe prepared jointly by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. A companion volume provides an analytical overview of VHI markets across the 34 countries.

Download or read book High Quality Care for All written by Secretary of State for Health and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This review incorporates the views and visions of 2,000 clinicians and other health and social care professionals from every NHS region in England, and has been developed in discussion with patients, carers and the general public. The changes proposed are locally-led, patient-centred and clinically driven. Chapter 2 identifies the challenges facing the NHS in the 21st century: ever higher expectations; demand driven by demographics as people live longer; health in an age of information and connectivity; the changing nature of disease; advances in treatment; a changing health workplace. Chapter 3 outlines the proposals to deliver high quality care for patients and the public, with an emphasis on helping people to stay healthy, empowering patients, providing the most effective treatments, and keeping patients as safe as possible in healthcare environments. The importance of quality in all aspects of the NHS is reinforced in chapter 4, and must be understood from the perspective of the patient's safety, experience in care received and the effectiveness of that care. Best practice will be widely promoted, with a central role for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in expanding national standards. This will bring clarity to the high standards expected and quality performance will be measured and published. The review outlines the need to put frontline staff in control of this drive for quality (chapter 5), with greater freedom to use their expertise and skill and decision-making to find innovative ways to improve care for patients. Clinical and managerial leadership skills at the local level need further development, and all levels of staff will receive support through education and training (chapter 6). The review recommends the introduction of an NHS Constitution (chapter 7). The final chapter sets out the means of implementation.

Download or read book Healthcare Across the UK written by Great Britain. National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2012 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report highlights key trends and variations in the delivery of healthcare across the four nations of the UK. Life expectancy varies significantly across the UK - from 75.9 in Scotland to 78.6 in England for men, and from 80.4 in Scotland to 82.6 in England for women. Spending on health services in the UK more than doubled in cash terms in the last decade. In 2010-11, despite devoting a higher proportion of total public spending to health, England spent the least on health per person. NHS staff has also increased over the last decade. Scotland has the most GPs per person (80 per 100,000 people in 2009 compared with 70 in England and 65 per 100,000 in both Wales and Northern Ireland). Scotland also has the most medical hospital staff and nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff per person. Comparable data on the efficiency and quality of healthcare are patchy. In 2008-09, average hospital lengths of stay varied from 4.3 days in England to 6.3 days in Wales. Hospital waiting times have fallen in all four nations in recent years, although there are notable variations in how long patients wait for common procedures. In 2009-10 waiting times tended to be lower in England and Wales. There have been significant improvements in levels of healthcare associated infections with rates of MRSA infection dropping by a third or more in all nations. The NAO considers that there would be value in the health departments in the four nations carrying out further work to investigate the variations in performance and identify how they can learn from each other

Download or read book Commissioning Healthcare in England written by Allen, Pauline and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2020-03-01 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely book is the most comprehensive account yet of recent commissioning practice in the English NHS and its impact on health services and the healthcare system. Drawing on eight years of research, expert researchers in the field analyse crucial aspects of commissioning, including competition and cooperation, the development of Clinical Commissioning Groups and contractual mechanisms. They also consider the influence of recent commissioning reforms on public health infrastructure. For academics and policy makers in health services research and policy, this is a valuable collection of evidence that deepens understanding of how commissioning works.

Download or read book In Search of the Perfect Health System written by Mark Britnell and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-09-13 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the first prize in the Health and Social Care category at the BMA Medical Book Awards 2016. With chapters on 25 different countries, this practical and succinct guide to the world's major health systems explores what lessons can be drawn from each to improve health worldwide. Each chapter is an essay designed to give the reader essential knowledge of the history, strengths, weaknesses and lessons of each health system and provide a truly global health perspective – all in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. Whether a healthcare manager or a student studying health systems, this accessible and engaging book provides a fascinating insight in to how health care is delivered around the world.

Download or read book Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High Income Countries written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-06-27 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the last 25 years, life expectancy at age 50 in the United States has been rising, but at a slower pace than in many other high-income countries, such as Japan and Australia. This difference is particularly notable given that the United States spends more on health care than any other nation. Concerned about this divergence, the National Institute on Aging asked the National Research Council to examine evidence on its possible causes. According to Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries, the nation's history of heavy smoking is a major reason why lifespans in the United States fall short of those in many other high-income nations. Evidence suggests that current obesity levels play a substantial part as well. The book reports that lack of universal access to health care in the U.S. also has increased mortality and reduced life expectancy, though this is a less significant factor for those over age 65 because of Medicare access. For the main causes of death at older ages-cancer and cardiovascular disease-available indicators do not suggest that the U.S. health care system is failing to prevent deaths that would be averted elsewhere. In fact, cancer detection and survival appear to be better in the U.S. than in most other high-income nations, and survival rates following a heart attack also are favorable. Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries identifies many gaps in research. For instance, while lung cancer deaths are a reliable marker of the damage from smoking, no clear-cut marker exists for obesity, physical inactivity, social integration, or other risks considered in this book. Moreover, evaluation of these risk factors is based on observational studies, which-unlike randomized controlled trials-are subject to many biases.

Download or read book Improving Healthcare Quality in Europe Characteristics Effectiveness and Implementation of Different Strategies written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2019-10-17 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume, developed by the Observatory together with OECD, provides an overall conceptual framework for understanding and applying strategies aimed at improving quality of care. Crucially, it summarizes available evidence on different quality strategies and provides recommendations for their implementation. This book is intended to help policy-makers to understand concepts of quality and to support them to evaluate single strategies and combinations of strategies.

Download or read book The Politics of Healthcare in Britain written by Stephen Harrison and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ′This is an excellent textbook for which there is currently a niche in the market. The chapters on rationing, professionalism, politics of clinical knowledge and the politics of democracy and participation are particularly strong and will be invaluable to students of health policy, health studies and health service research′ - Professor Michael Calnan, University of Bristol Written by leading academics in their field, this book provides a clear and considered overview of the politics of health care in Britain. Bringing together a wide range of material on both past events and recent developments, the chapters cover issues such as the politics of health professionalism, clinical knowledge and organisation and management. Each chapter offers a a unique combination of theory, historical detail and analysis of contemporary events. It features case studies to illustrate how policy has evolved and developed in recent years, and the implications these changes have for practice. Written in an accessible style the chapters also include comprehensive introductions, summaries and further reading sections. The final chapter is based on three detailed case studies that illuminate the tensions and debates discussed throughout the book. The Politics of Healthcare in Britain is a timely and authoritative textbook that covers a key topic of the curriculum whilst also contributing to topical debates. The book will be essential reading for students of social policy, health policy, public policy and nursing. It will also be of interest to policy makers and practitioners in the field of health care.

Download or read book Equity and excellence written by Great Britain: Department of Health and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-07-12 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Equity and Excellence : Liberating the NHS: Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health by Command of Her Majesty

Download or read book A Life Course Perspective on Health Trajectories and Transitions written by Claudine Burton-Jeangros and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-08-11 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book examines health trajectories and health transitions at different stages of the life course, including childhood, adulthood and later life. It provides findings that assess the role of biological and social transitions on health status over time. The essays examine a wide range of health issues, including the consequences of military service on body mass index, childhood obesity and cardiovascular health, socio-economic inequalities in preventive health care use, depression and anxiety during the child rearing period, health trajectories and transitions in people with cystic fibrosis and oral health over the life course. The book addresses theoretical, empirical and methodological issues as well as examines different national contexts, which help to identify factors of vulnerability and potential resources that support resilience available for specific groups and/or populations. Health reflects the ability of individuals to adapt to their social environment. This book analyzes health as a dynamic experience. It examines how different aspects of individual health unfold over time as a result of aging but also in relation to changing socioeconomic conditions. It also offers readers potential insights into public policies that affect the health status of a population.

Download or read book Healthcare in Ireland and Britain from 1850 written by Donnacha Seán Lucey and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " ... Explores developments in health and social care in Ireland and Britain during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The central objectives are to highlight the role of voluntarism in healthcare, to examine healthcare in local and regional contexts, and to provide comparative perspectives."--Back cover.

Download or read book Which Country Has the World s Best Health Care written by Ezekiel J. Emanuel and published by PublicAffairs. This book was released on 2020-06-16 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The preeminent doctor and bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel is repeatedly asked one question: Which country has the best healthcare? He set off to find an answer. The US spends more than any other nation, nearly $4 trillion, on healthcare. Yet, for all that expense, the US is not ranked #1 -- not even close. In Which Country Has the World's Best Healthcare? Ezekiel Emanuel profiles eleven of the world's healthcare systems in pursuit of the best or at least where excellence can be found. Using a unique comparative structure, the book allows healthcare professionals, patients, and policymakers alike to know which systems perform well, and why, and which face endemic problems. From Taiwan to Germany, Australia to Switzerland, the most inventive healthcare providers tackle a global set of challenges -- in pursuit of the best healthcare in the world.

Download or read book OECD Health Policy Studies Waiting Times for Health Services Next in Line written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2020-05-28 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The report reviews a range of policies that countries have used to tackle waiting times for different services, including elective surgery and primary care consultations, but also cancer care and mental health services, with a focus on identifying the most successful ones.

Download or read book Universal Healthcare without the NHS Towards a Patient Centred Health System written by Kristian Niemietz and published by London Publishing Partnership. This book was released on 2016-12-07 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The National Health Service remains the sacred cow of British politics – any criticism is considered beyond the pale, guaranteed to trigger angry responses and accusations of bad faith. This book argues that the NHS should not be insulated from reasoned debate. In terms of health outcomes, it is one of the worst systems in the developed world, well behind those of other high-income countries. The NHS does achieve universal access to healthcare, but so do the health systems in every other developed country (with the exception of the US). Britain is far from being the only country where access to healthcare does not depend on an individual’s ability to pay. Author Kristian Niemietz draws on a wealth of international evidence to develop a vision for a universal healthcare system based on consumer sovereignty, freedom of choice, competition and pluralism. His roadmap for reform charts a path from the status quo to a more desirable and effective alternative.

Download or read book Healthcare Systems in the US and UK A Comparison written by Leonard Kahungu and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2018-06-14 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Health - Public Health, grade: 78.00, , course: LRPM, language: English, abstract: Health care delivery systems and financing structures are some of the most popular across the globe when it comes to the wellbeing of the human race. The resultant popularity is influenced by the significance of universal healthcare and the efficiency levels attributed to healthcare delivery, financing, and accessibility, among other factors. All countries are inherently predisposed to have unique healthcare financing and delivery systems due to assorted issues such as political history, culture, economic, and demographic factors. In particular, health care in the United Kingdom and the United States has been at the centre of political, social, and cultural debate in the past few years.

Download or read book Deconstructing the Welfare State written by Paula Hyde and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-06-23 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who are NHS middle managers? What do they do, and why and how do they do it’? This book explores the daily realities of working life for middle managers in the UK’s National Health Service during a time of radical change and disruption to the entire edifice of publicly-funded healthcare. It is an empirical critique of the movement towards a healthcare model based around HMO-type providers such as Kaiser Permanente and United Health. Although this model is well-known internationally, many believe it to be financially and ethically questionable, and often far from 'best practice' when it comes to patient care. Drawing on immersive ethnographic research based on four case studies – an Acute Hospital Trust, an Ambulance Trust, a Mental Health Trust, and a Primary Care Trust – this book provides an in-depth critical appraisal of the everyday experiences of a range of managers working in the NHS. It describes exactly what NHS managers do and explains how their roles are changing and the types of challenges they face. The analysis explains how many NHS junior and middle managers are themselves clinicians to some extent, with hybrid roles as simultaneously nurse and manager, midwife and manager, or paramedic and manager. While commonly working in ‘back office’ functions, NHS middle managers are also just as likely to be working very close to or actually on the front lines of patient care. Despite the problems they regularly face from organizational restructuring, cost control and demands for accountability, the authors demonstrate that NHS managers – in their various guises – play critical, yet undervalued, institutional roles. Depicting the darker sides of organizational change, this text is a sociological exploration of the daily struggle for work dignity of a complex, widely denigrated, and largely misunderstood group of public servants trying to do their best under extremely trying circumstances. It is essential reading for academics, students, and practitioners interested in health management and policy, organisational change, public sector management, and the NHS more broadly.

Download or read book A Comparison between US and the United Kingdom s Healthcare Systems written by Patrick Kimuyu and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2017-12-07 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2016 in the subject Medicine - Public Health, grade: 1.5, Egerton University, language: English, abstract: In the recent years, the close relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom seem reflect in most developmental areas. These two countries seem to learn from one another in advancing their strategies towards healthcare sustainability. One of these areas is the healthcare. Formosa Post reaffirms that the US has copied many of its systems from the UK and this is attributable to historical reasons. However, it is worth noting that there are significant organizational differences in the healthcare system structures that define the success and reliability of each system. In retrospect, the UK’s healthcare system commonly known as the National Health Service is reported to perform relatively better compared to the US healthcare system. According healthcare studies, objective indicators show significant developments within these two healthcare systems despite their organizational differences. Overall, the US healthcare consumes a high percentage of the national gross domestic product than the UK healthcare system. Budgetary allocations for healthcare in both countries show that UK spends about 8% of the country’s gross domestic product compared to the 15% share consumed by the US healthcare. Despite these difference in financing the two healthcare systems, the quality of medical services are more or less the same. However, these systems have not yet achieved high performing competencies in population health as it is the case with Sweden and Japan which are ranked the world’s high performing healthcare systems as measured by life expectancy and infant mortality