In a world where there is increasing demand for the performance of health providers to be measured, there is a need for a more strategic vision of the role that performance measurement can play in securing health system improvement. This volume meets this need by presenting the opportunities and challenges associated with performance measurement in a framework that is clear and easy to understand. It examines the various levels at which health system performance is undertaken, the technical instruments and tools available, and the implications using these may have for those charged with the governance of the health system. Technical material is presented in an accessible way and is illustrated with examples from all over the world. Performance Measurement for Health System Improvement is an authoritative and practical guide for policy makers, regulators, patient groups and researchers.

This title was first published in 2000: Contemporary Greek society is characterized by an all-embracing trend for reform. This task, however, is constrained by problems of Greek polity rooted in the historical and political culture. This text explores the important facets of divergence between Greece and the EU, examining the process through which they affect the relative performance of the country in the economic, social, political and international relations fronts, together with significant attempts to modernize and rationalize internal and external policies and structures. The book is in five parts. In the first, introductory, section, Greece's Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, the late Yannos Kranidiotis, analyzes the fundamental objectives of Greek foreign policy, whilst the editors explore the challenges of EU membership for Greek domestic and foreign politics, and Greece's participation in the process of European integration. The second part deals with Greece and the EMU, the third analyzes the issues related to state modernization and adjustment. A fourth section examines the welfare state and related policies, and the final part analyzes Greece's foreign policy and external relations, with particular emphasis on the Balkans and Greek-Turkish relations.

First published in 1999, this volume aims to describe and analyse the experience of cost containment in Europe over the last fifteen years in order to understand that experience and to determine, as best we can, which methods were successful and which were not. Part I provides an overview of healthcare in the European Union, an overview of recent expenditure trends. Part II complements the first, examining in detail cost containment policies in each EU Member State. The country-based chapters refer to developments up to mid-1997.

First published in 1999, this volume recognises that the role and status of public health in Europe has again become increasingly recognized and features contributions on various nations within the European Community. This is not only in individual countries but also in the policies of the European Union as exemplified in the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties. This book is a critical account of the present structures and policies of member countries and how policies have evolved within the European Commission. It describes both possible models and needs and contrasts these with the current legislative framework. It thus serves the needs of both practitioners, policy makers, policy analysts and students interested in public health and social policy developments.

In recent years there has been much debate surrounding the future of the welfare state in Europe, the complex factors influencing reform, and the extent to which responses to pressures on welfare could lead to irreversible systemic changes in social policy. By providing an in-depth analysis of social policy developments in Greece, this work furthers understanding of welfare reform trajectories in Europe. The authors thoroughly examine aspects of structural change, challenges and responses in major policy areas of employment, social security, family and gender, health and social care, and migration. Research issues central to the debate on 'recasting European welfare states', such as structural adjustments with regard to the production, organization and delivery of welfare, significant changes in the financial side of social protection, the role of political parties, the social partners and other major social actors in influencing (or resisting) policy reform, are at the forefront of the contributions to this volume. The scope and intensity of pressures on the Greek welfare state emanating from the supranational level and the challenges linked to European integration and economic and monetary union are also of crucial importance in the analyses undertaken.

This title was first published in 2000: Contemporary Greek society is characterized by an all-embracing trend for reform. This task, however, is constrained by problems of Greek polity rooted in the historical and political culture. This text explores the important facets of divergence between Greece and the EU, examining the process through which they affect the relative performance of the country in the economic, social, political and international relations fronts, together with significant attempts to modernize and rationalize internal and external policies and structures. The book is in five parts. In the first, introductory, section, Greece's Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, the late Yannos Kranidiotis, analyzes the fundamental objectives of Greek foreign policy, whilst the editors explore the challenges of EU membership for Greek domestic and foreign politics, and Greece's participation in the process of European integration. The second part deals with Greece and the EMU, the third analyzes the issues related to state modernization and adjustment. A fourth section examines the welfare state and related policies, and the final part analyzes Greece's foreign policy and external relations, with particular emphasis on the Balkans and Greek-Turkish relations.

First published in 1999, this volume recognises that the role and status of public health in Europe has again become increasingly recognized and features contributions on various nations within the European Community. This is not only in individual countries but also in the policies of the European Union as exemplified in the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties. This book is a critical account of the present structures and policies of member countries and how policies have evolved within the European Commission. It describes both possible models and needs and contrasts these with the current legislative framework. It thus serves the needs of both practitioners, policy makers, policy analysts and students interested in public health and social policy developments.

First published in 1999, this volume aims to describe and analyse the experience of cost containment in Europe over the last fifteen years in order to understand that experience and to determine, as best we can, which methods were successful and which were not. Part I provides an overview of healthcare in the European Union, an overview of recent expenditure trends. Part II complements the first, examining in detail cost containment policies in each EU Member State. The country-based chapters refer to developments up to mid-1997.

The question of how to generate sufficient revenue to pay for health care has become a serious concern for nearly all European policy-makers. This book examines the advantages and disadvantages of funding arrangements currently in use across Europe. Adopting a cross-national, cross-disciplinary perspective, it assesses the relative merits of the main methods of raising resources including taxation; social, voluntary and supplemental forms of insurance; and self-pay including co-payments. Chapters written by leading health policy analysts review recent evidence and experience in both eastern and western Europe. The volume is introduced by a summary chapter which integrates conceptual issues in funding with an overview of the main advantages and disadvantages of each method of funding drawn from the expert chapters.
This is an important book for students of health policy, health economics, public policy and managment, and for health managers and policy makers.

Can private health insurance fill gaps in publicly financed coverage? Does it enhance access to health care or improve efficiency in health service delivery? Will it provide fiscal relief for governments struggling to raise public revenue for health? This book examines the successes, failures and challenges of private health insurance globally through country case studies written by leading national experts. Each case study considers the role of history and politics in shaping private health insurance and determining its impact on health system performance. Despite great diversity in the size and functioning of markets for private health insurance, the book identifies clear patterns across countries, drawing out valuable lessons for policymakers while showing how history and politics have proved a persistent barrier to effective public policy. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a biological mechanism whereby a micro-organism evolves over time to develop the ability to become resistant to antimicrobial therapies such as antibiotics. The drivers of and potential solutions to AMR are complex, often spanning multiple sectors. The internationally recognised response to AMR advocates for a 'One Health' approach, which requires policies to be developed and implemented across human, animal, and environmental health. To date, misaligned economic incentives have slowed the development of novel antimicrobials and limited efforts to reduce antimicrobial usage. However, the research which underpins the variety of policy options to tackle AMR is rapidly evolving across multiple disciplines such as human medicine, veterinary medicine, agricultural sciences, epidemiology, economics, sociology and psychology. By bringing together in one place the latest evidence and analysing the different facets of the complex problem of tackling AMR, this book offers an accessible summary for policy-makers, academics and students on the big questions around AMR policy. This title is available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

There is a fundamental contradiction at the core of health policy in the EU that makes it difficult to draw a line between EU and Member State responsibilities. This raises a number of difficult questions for policy makers and practitioners as they struggle to interpret both 'hard' and 'soft' laws at EU and Member State level and to reconcile tensions between economic and social imperatives in health care. The book addresses these complex questions by combining analysis of the underlying issues with carefully chosen case studies that illustrate how broader principles are played out in practice. Each chapter addresses a topical area in which there is considerable debate and potential uncertainty. The book thus offers a comprehensive discussion of a number of current and emerging governance issues in EU health policy, including regulatory, legal, 'new governance' and policy-making dynamics, and the application of the legal framework in these areas.

There is a fundamental contradiction at the core of health policy in the EU that makes it difficult to draw a line between EU and Member State responsibilities. This raises a number of difficult questions for policy makers and practitioners as they struggle to interpret both 'hard' and 'soft' laws at EU and Member State level and to reconcile tensions between economic and social imperatives in health care. The book addresses these complex questions by combining analysis of the underlying issues with carefully chosen case studies that illustrate how broader principles are played out in practice. Each chapter addresses a topical area in which there is considerable debate and potential uncertainty. The book thus offers a comprehensive discussion of a number of current and emerging governance issues in EU health policy, including regulatory, legal, 'new governance' and policy-making dynamics, and the application of the legal framework in these areas.

In a world where there is increasing demand for the performance of health providers to be measured, there is a need for a more strategic vision of the role that performance measurement can play in securing health system improvement. This volume meets this need by presenting the opportunities and challenges associated with performance measurement in a framework that is clear and easy to understand. It examines the various levels at which health system performance is undertaken, the technical instruments and tools available, and the implications using these may have for those charged with the governance of the health system. Technical material is presented in an accessible way and is illustrated with examples from all over the world. Performance Measurement for Health System Improvement is an authoritative and practical guide for policy makers, regulators, patient groups and researchers.

"This thoughtful and comprehensive book represents the best work I have seen on the current situation concerning medication policies in the EU. It is not just that this is a very up-to-date compendium of facts and data across a wide variety of domains that impact on pharmaceutical regulation. The book is also strong on analysis of those facts as well." Jerry Avorn, Harvard Medical School. "This book offers a comprehensive examination of approaches to manage pharmaceutical expenditures in Europe. It is a must-read for those who seek to understand and navigate the changing regulatory environment for medicines in the European Union." Bernie O'Brien, McMaster University, Canada. The rising cost of pharmaceutical expenditures in many European countries is of concern to governments required to make effective use of health care budgets. Taking a broad perspective that encompasses institutional, political and supranational aspects of pharmaceutical regulation, this book examines approaches used to manage pharmaceutical expenditure across Europe and what impact these strategies have had on efficiency, quality, equity and cost of pharmaceutical care.Regulating Pharmaceuticals in Europe is an important book for students of health policy, regulation and management, and for health managers and policy makers.The editors: Elias Mossialos is Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Research Director of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.Monique Mrazek is a Health Economist (Europe and Central Asia region) for the World Bank and formerly a Research Officer in Health Economics for the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.Tom Walley is Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool and Director of the UK National Health Technology Assessment Programme.Contributors: Julia Abelson, Christa Altenstetter, Vittorio Bertele', Christine Bond, Marcel L. Bouvy, Colin Bradley, Steve Chapman, Anna Dixon, Michael Drummond, Pierre Durieux, Edzard Ernst, Armin Fidler, Eric Fortess, Richard Frank, Silvio Garattini, Leigh Hancher, Ebba Holme Hansen, Steve Hudson, Kees de Jonchere, Panos Kanavos, Sjoerd Kooiker, Jean-Marc Leder, Graham Lewis, Donald W. Light, Alistair McGuire, Elias Mossialos, Monique Mrazek, Maria Pia Orru', Govin Permanand, Guenka Petrova, Munir Pirmohamed, Dennis Ross-Degnan, Frans Rutten, Steven Soummerai, David Taylor, Sarah Thomson, Tom Walley.

This special double issue of the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law is a collection of papers presented at meetings held by the European Health Care Systems Discussion group--a forum for health system scholars from throughout Europe who meet regularly to discuss intra- and intercountry analyses of health care system reform. Reaching beyond simple descriptive reporting on the health care system of their particular country, contributors from across Europe develop a much deeper understanding of health sector reforms by placing emphasis on how the health care system of their country promotes--and has been reformed to promote--efficiency, equity, accountability and responsiveness within the specific political, historical, and cultural contexts of their countries (including Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden).

In comparative studies of health care, the United Kingdom's health care system continues to be categorized in terms of public finance and public provision. However, over 11% of the United Kingdom population has private medical insurance (PMI), and PMI is an important contributor to the United Kingdom's health economy (the market being worth almost 3 billion a year). This study provides an introductory overview of an often-ignored and significantly under-researched area.The study is structured according to the three key dimensions of the market for PMI: the product, demand and supply. It also includes a short appendix on the market for health cash plans--an alternative form of private cover for medical expenses with relatively broad take-up. The Introduction provides a classification of forms of voluntary health insurance (VHI) and locates PMI within the wider United Kingdom health care system."