Welfare Reform on the Web (February 2002): Healthcare - Overseas

THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN PRIVATE HEALTH EXPENDITURE ON NEW ZEALAND HOUSEHOLDS

S. Hopkins and J. Cumming

Health Policy, vol. 58, 2001, p. 215-229

Paper discusses changes in private health care expenditure in New Zealand and compares these with trends in private and public health expenditure in a number of OECD countries. It goes on to analyse out-of-pocket expenditure, insurance expenditure and household income between 1983/84 and 1997/98.

MEDICAL AUDIT: THREAT OR OPPORTUNIYY FOR THE MEDICAL PROFESSION : A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MEDICAL AUDIT AMONG MEDICAL SPECIALISTS IN GENERAL HOSPITALS IN THE NETHERLANDS AND ENGLAND, 1970-1999

R. van Herk et al.

Social Science and Medicine, vol.53, 2001, p. 1721-1723

Clinical audit became mandatory in the Netherlands under the Hospital Licensing Act of 1984. In England it has been promoted by government as a compulsory activity since 1989. Article describes the development of medical audit in the two health care systems and guages its impact on professional autonomy. In both countries medical audit turned out to be an instrument "controlled" by the profession itself and has not threatened clinical autonomy.

A POLICY ANALYSIS OF THE INTRODUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF EXTERNAL PEER REVIEW (VISITATIE) AS A MEANS OF PROFESSIONAL SELF REGULATION AMONGST MEDICAL SPECIALISTS IN THE NETHERLANDS IN THE PERIOD 1985-2000

M.J.M.H Lombarts and N. S. Klazinga

Health Policy, vol. 58, 2001, p. 191-213

This paper looks at the dynamics of professional self-regulation and health care policy making. It examines how 'site visits' (visitatie) have been used in the political process between medical specialists and the state. The paper discusses the increase in "visitatie" which is due to a number of factors including:

• conflicts between state and doctors over specialist income;
• the introduction of market-orientated policies;
• new visions on quality assurance;
• the debate on the future of medical specialist care;
• a new legal framework.

QUALITY AND FAIRNESS: A HEALTH SYSTEM FOR YOU

Department of Health and Children

Dublin : 2001

The Irish health service is bedevilled by long waiting times for public care which can be bypassed by those with private insurance. Strategy promises that no public patient will wait longer than three months for treatment by 2004. Waiting times will be cut through partnership with the private sector and use of overseas services. In addition, an extra 3000 public patient beds are promised by 2011. A National Hospitals Agency is to be set up to plan the configuration of hospital services.