scholarly journals Re-orientation of Health Services towards Health Promotion: An Australian Case Study of Aborted Health Service Reform

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fran Baum ◽  
Helen van Eyk ◽  
Catherine Hurley
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Care Reform ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Continuous Change ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines a case study of local health care reform in Australia that had as one of its aims the desire to increase the health promotion and partnership work of the region. The case study highlights the pressures contemporary health systems are facing and the challenge of re-orientating health services towards health promotion in this environment. Qualitative research, including interviews, focus groups, a staff survey and policy analysis were used to identify health system professionals? perceptions of the impact of health care reform. The case study portrays a complex system that is subject to frequent change but little reform. Our case study indicates that features of health systems that encourage collaborative partnerships are those where there is: an environment that encourages trust; a common purpose among the key players; a supportive external environment; practical projects to work on; organisational stability; commitment from staff throughout organisations; willingness to commit resources; evidence that change is likely to improve outcomes for users; and an organisational environment in which learning from past experience is encouraged. A number of constraints and tensions that work against introducing a greater emphasis on health promotion and collaboration within the system studied are discussed, including tensions between central funding bureaucracies and health care agencies and the reform fatigue and increasing cynicism among staff resulting from continuous change. The paper concludes that against the chaotic background of contemporary health service reform it is very difficult to bring about genuine reform to achieve a shift to more emphasis on health promotion and partnerships.

Health Service Impact from Mass Gatherings: A Systematic Literature Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Ranse ◽  
Alison Hutton ◽  
Toby Keene ◽  
Shane Lenson ◽  
Matt Luther ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Ambulance Service ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Mass Gathering ◽  
Mass Gatherings ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundDuring a mass gathering, some participants may receive health care for injuries or illnesses that occur during the event. In-event first responders provide initial assessment and management at the event. However, when further definitive care is required, municipal ambulance services provide additional assessment, treatment, and transport of participants to acute care settings, such as hospitals. The impact on both ambulance services and hospitals from mass-gathering events is the focus of this literature review.AimThis literature review aimed to develop an understanding of the impact of mass gatherings on local health services, specifically pertaining to in-event and external health services.MethodThis research used a systematic literature review methodology. Electronic databases were searched to find articles related to the aim of the review. Articles focused on mass-gathering health, provision of in-event health services, ambulance service transportation, and hospital utilization.ResultsTwenty-four studies were identified for inclusion in this review. These studies were all case-study-based and retrospective in design. The majority of studies (n=23) provided details of in-event first responder services. There was variation noted in reporting of the number and type of in-event health professional services at mass gatherings. All articles reported that patients were transported to hospital by the ambulance service. Only nine articles reported on patients presenting to hospital. However, details pertaining to the impact on ambulance and hospital services were not reported.ConclusionsThere is minimal research focusing on the impact of mass gatherings on in-event and external health services, such as ambulance services and hospitals. A recommendation for future mass-gathering research and evaluation is to link patient-level data from in-event mass gatherings to external health services. This type of study design would provide information regarding the impact on health services from a mass gathering to more accurately inform future health planning for mass gatherings across the health care continuum.RanseJ, HuttonA, KeeneT, LensonS, LutherM, BostN, JohnstonANB, CrillyJ, CannonM, JonesN, HayesC, BurkeB. Health service impact from mass gatherings: a systematic literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):71–77.

Embedding health literacy into health systems: a case study of a regional health service

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Vellar ◽  
Fiorina Mastroianni ◽  
Kelly Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health District ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Regional Health

Objective The aim of the present study was to describe how one regional health service the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District embedded health literacy principles into health systems over a 3-year period. Methods Using a case study approach, this article describes the development of key programs and the manner in which clinical incidents were used to create a health environment that allows consumers the right to equitably access quality health services and to participate in their own health care. Results The key outcomes demonstrating successful embedding of health literacy into health systems in this regional health service include the creation of a governance structure and web-based platform for developing and testing plain English consumer health information, a clearly defined process to engage with consumers, development of the health literacy ambassador training program and integrating health literacy into clinical quality improvement processes via a formal program with consumers to guide processes such as improvements to access and navigation around hospital sites. Conclusions The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has developed an evidence-based health literacy framework, guided by the core principles of universal precaution and organisational responsibility. Health literacy was also viewed as both an outcome and a process. The approach taken by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to address poor health literacy in a coordinated way has been recognised by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care as an exemplar of a coordinated approach to embed health literacy into health systems. What is known about the topic? Poor health literacy is a significant national concern in Australia. The leadership, governance and consumer partnership culture of a health organisation can have considerable effects on an individual’s ability to access, understand and apply the health-related information and services available to them. Currently, only 40% of consumers in Australia have the health literacy skills needed to understand everyday health information to effectively access and use health services. What does this paper add? Addressing health literacy in a coordinated way has the potential to increase safety and quality of care. This paper outlines the practical and sustainable actions the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District took to partner with consumers to address health literacy and to improve the health experience and health outcomes of consumers. Embedding health literacy into public health services requires a coordinated whole-of-organisation approach; it requires the integration of leadership and governance, revision of consumer health information and revision of consumer and staff processes to effect change and support the delivery of health-literate healthcare services. What are the implications for practitioners? Embedding health literacy into health systems promotes equitable, safe and quality healthcare. Practitioners in a health-literate environment adopt consumer-centred communication and care strategies, provide information in a way that is easy to understand and follow and involve consumers and their families in decisions regarding and management of the consumer’s care.

Consumer-Driven Health Care

2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 477-478
Author(s):  
F. Randy Vogenberg
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Managed Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
Managed Health Care ◽  
The Future ◽  
Quality Health ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

Managed health care has changed the way health services are provided and paid for. It is still evolving. Many pharmacists have already felt the impact of these changes. This continuing feature illuminates the many facets of managed care with special emphasis placed on how these changes may affect pharmacists working in health systems. The expertise provided by pharmacists will be needed to fulfill the potential of affordable, comprehensive, and quality health care as promised by managed care. Pharmacists must understand what is happening, why it is happening, and what is likely to happen in the future. To be an active and effective player, you must understand what is happening on the field.

scholarly journals Qualitative analysis of the coordination of major system change within the Colombian health system in response to COVID-19: study protocol

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Turner ◽  
Natalia Niño
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health System ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
National Level ◽  
System Change ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Service Planning

Abstract Background Coronavirus (COVID-19) is posing a major and unprecedented challenge to health service planning and delivery across health systems internationally. This nationally funded study is analysing the response of the Colombian health system to the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on qualitative case studies of three local health systems within the country. The approach will be informed by the concept of ‘major system change’—or coordinated change among a variety of healthcare organizations and other relevant stakeholders— to identify processes that both enable and inhibit adaptation of health services to the challenges presented by COVID-19. The study will collect information on capacity ‘bottlenecks’ as well as successful practices and forms of innovation that have emerged locally, which have the potential for being ‘scaled up’ across Colombia’s health services. Methods/design This qualitative study will be undertaken in two phases. In the first, up to 30 stakeholder interviews will be conducted to ascertain immediate challenges and opportunities for improvement in response to COVID-19 that can be shared in a timely way with health service leaders to inform health service planning. The stakeholders will include planning, provider and intermediary organizations within the health system at the national level. In the second, up to 60 further interviews will be conducted to develop in-depth case studies of three local health systems at the metropolitan area level within Colombia. The interview data will be supplemented with documentary analysis and, where feasible, non-participant observation of planning meetings. Discussion The study’s findings will aid evaluation of the relevance of the concept of major system change in a context of ‘crisis’ decision-making and contribute to international lessons on improving health systems’ capacity to respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Study findings will be shared among various stakeholders in the Colombian healthcare system in a formative and timely way in order to inform healthcare planning in response to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Conducting the study at a time of COVID-19 raises a number of practical issues (including physical distancing and pressure on health services) which have been anticipated in the study design and research team’s ways of working.

Reining in the Pharmacy Budget

2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 354-356
Author(s):  
F. Randy Vogenberg
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Managed Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
Managed Health Care ◽  
The Future ◽  
Quality Health ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

Managed health care has changed the way health services are provided and paid for. It is still evolving. Many pharmacists have already felt the impact of these changes. This continuing feature illuminates the many facets of managed care with special emphasis placed on how these changes may affect pharmacists working in health systems. The expertise provided by pharmacists will be needed to fulfill the potential of affordable, comprehensive, and quality health care as promised by managed care. Pharmacists must understand what is happening, why it is happening, and what is likely to happen in the future. To be an active and effective player, you must understand what is happening on the field.

Talking about and Using Pharmacoeconomics Properly

2001 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 717-722
Author(s):  
F. Randy Vogenberg
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Managed Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
Managed Health Care ◽  
The Future ◽  
Quality Health ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

Managed health care has changed the way health services are provided and paid for. It is still evolving. Many pharmacists have already felt the impact of these changes. This continuing feature illuminates the many facets of managed care with special emphasis placed on how these changes may affect pharmacists working in health systems. The expertise provided by pharmacists will be needed to fulfill the potential of affordable, comprehensive, and quality health care as promised by managed care. Pharmacists must understand what is happening, why it is happening, and what is likely to happen in the future. To be an active and effective player, you must understand what is happening on the field.

scholarly journals Is health systems integration being advanced through Local Health District planning?

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
Carla Saunders ◽  
David J. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Systems Integration ◽  
Health District ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Service Plan ◽  
Integration Strategies ◽  
Health Systems Integration ◽  
Health Districts

Objective Delivering genuine integrated health care is one of three strategic directions in the New South Wales (NSW) Government State Health Plan: Towards 2021. This study investigated the current key health service plan of each NSW Local Health District (LHD) to evaluate the extent and nature of health systems integration strategies that are currently planned. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify common key principles and practices for successful health systems integration to enable the development of an appraisal tool to content assess LHD strategic health service plans. Results The strategies that are planned for health systems integration across LHDs focus most often on improvements in coordination, health care access and care delivery for complex at-risk patients across the care continuum by both state- and commonwealth-funded systems, providers and agencies. The most common reasons given for integrated activities were to reduce avoidable hospitalisation, avoid inappropriate emergency department attendance and improve patient care. Conclusions Despite the importance of health systems integration and finding that all NSW LHDs have made some commitment towards integration in their current strategic health plans, this analysis suggests that health systems integration is in relatively early development across NSW. What is known about the topic? Effective approaches to managing complex chronic diseases have been found to involve health systems integration, which necessitates sound communication and connection between healthcare providers across community and hospital settings. Planning based on current health systems integration knowledge to ensure the efficient use of scarce resources is a responsibility of all health systems. What does this paper add? Appropriate planning and implementation of health systems integration is becoming an increasingly important expectation and requirement of effective health systems. The present study is the first of its kind to assess the planned activity in health systems integration in the NSW public health system. NSW health districts play a central role in health systems integration; each health service plan outlines the strategic directions for the development and delivery of all state-funded services across each district for the coming years, equating to hundreds of millions of dollars in health sector funding. The inclusion of effective health systems integration strategies allows Local Health Districts to lay the foundation for quality patient outcomes and long-term financial sustainability despite projected increases in demand for health services. What are the implications for practice? Establishing robust ongoing mechanisms for effective health systems integration is now a necessary part of health planning. The present study identifies several key areas and strategies that are wide in scope and indicative of efforts towards health systems integration, which may support Local Health Districts and other organisations in systematic planning and implementation.

scholarly journals Care Starts at Home: Emotional State and Appeals to Altruism may Reduce Demand for Overused Health Services in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip A Powell ◽  
Jennifer Roberts ◽  
Mark Gabbay ◽  
Nathan S Consedine
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
The Self ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Overuse of unnecessary services, screening tests, and treatments is an ongoing problem for national health care systems. Overuse is at least partly driven by patient demand. Purpose This study examined whether altering patients’ emotional state and appealing to patient altruism would reduce demand for three commonly overused UK health services. Methods In an online experiment, 1,267 UK volunteers were randomized to anxiety, compassion, or neutral conditions before viewing three overuse vignettes. In each vignette, use of the health service was recommended against by the doctor and participants were further randomized to one of three altruism frames, emphasizing the impact of overuse on the self, the self and others locally, or the self and others nationally. Participants rated the likelihood that they would pursue the health service and, assuming that they did not, how long they would be willing-to-wait for it. Results Altruism frame had a small effect on intentions to use the health service. Those in the local or national (vs. self) frame were 4.7 and 6.1 percentage points, respectively, less likely to ask for the service. Emotion induction had no direct effect on outcomes. However, self-reporting higher levels of anxiety or compassion post-induction was associated with a small, greater likelihood in intentions to ask for the health service or willingness-to-wait, respectively. No interactions between frame and emotion were observed. Conclusions As a low-cost initiative, emphasizing the benefits to the self and local or national communities could be embedded in appeals designed to appropriately reduce health care overuse in the UK.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document