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Messerle R, Schreyögg J. Country-level effects of diagnosis-related groups: evidence from Germany's comprehensive reform of hospital payments. Eur J Health Econ 2023:10.1007/s10198-023-01645-z. [PMID: 38051399 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-023-01645-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Hospitals account for about 40% of all healthcare expenditure in high-income countries and play a central role in healthcare provision. The ways in which they are paid, therefore, has major implications for the care they provide. However, our knowledge about reforms that have been made to the various payment schemes and their country-level effects is surprisingly thin. This study examined the uniquely comprehensive introduction of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) in Germany, where DRGs function as the sole pricing, billing, and budgeting system for hospitals and almost exclusively determine hospital revenue. The introduction of DRGs, therefore, completely overhauled the previous system based on per diem rates, offering a unique opportunity for analysis. Using aggregate data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and recent advances in econometrics, we analyzed how hospital activity and efficiency changed in response to the reform. We found that DRGs in Germany significantly increased hospital activity by around 20%. In contrast to earlier studies, we found that DRGs have not necessarily shortened the average length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Messerle
- Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Esplanade 36, 20354, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Schreyögg
- Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Esplanade 36, 20354, Hamburg, Germany.
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Dubas-Jakóbczyk K, Domagała A, Zabdyr-Jamróz M, Kowalska-Bobko I, Sowada C. The 2021 plan for hospital care centralization in Poland - When politics overwhelms the policy process. Health Policy 2023; 129:104707. [PMID: 36646616 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2023.104707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The health system in Poland is characterized by oversized hospital infrastructure, with simultaneous deficits in the ambulatory and long-term care sectors. The main challenges of the hospital sector involve i.a. weak stewardship and fragmented governance with a concurrent problem of persistent hospital debts as well as huge workforce deficits. The objective of this paper is to present the government's 2021 plan for hospital care centralization. The reform project aimed i.a. at improving hospital service coordination by implementing a professional and centralized system for hospital sector supervision and effective restructuration processes. The proposed regulation project focused on three major issues: (1) adjusting the existing hospital network towards better concentration of specialized services; (2) launching an independent central agency responsible for monitoring public hospital financial standing as well as initiating and/or managing hospitals restructuration processes; and (3) introducing a formal certification of hospital managers competencies. The reform plans were developed in a relatively short time frame, with a top-down approach and strongly pushed towards the adoption in 2022. Many of the health system stakeholders were strongly opposed to the project which, in connection with new challenges faced by the health system in 2022 (the economic crisis) led the reform suspension. At the same time, a new restructuration and debt relief programme for public hospitals was announced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Dubas-Jakóbczyk
- Health Economics and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Alicja Domagała
- Health Policy and Management Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066 Krakow, Poland
| | - Michał Zabdyr-Jamróz
- Health Policy and Management Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066 Krakow, Poland
| | - Iwona Kowalska-Bobko
- Health Policy and Management Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066 Krakow, Poland
| | - Christoph Sowada
- Health Economics and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066 Krakow, Poland
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Dubas-Jakóbczyk K, Kocot E, Tambor M, Szetela P, Kostrzewska O, Siegrist Jr RB, Quentin W. The Association Between Hospital Financial Performance and the Quality of Care - A Scoping Literature Review. Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:2816-2828. [PMID: 35988029 PMCID: PMC10105205 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.6957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving the quality of hospital care is an important policy objective. Hospitals operate under pressure to contain costs and might face challenges related to financial deficits. The objective of this paper was to identify and map the available evidence on the association between hospital financial performance (FP) and quality of care (Q). METHODS A scoping review was performed. Searches were conducted in 7 databases: Medline via PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, EconLit, ABI/INFORM, and Business Source Complete. The search strategy combined multiple terms from 3 topics: hospital AND FP AND Q. The collected data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. RESULTS 10 503 records were screened and 151 full text papers analysed. A total of 69 papers were included (60 empirical, 2 theoretical, 5 literature reviews, and 2 dissertations). The majority of identified studies were published within the last decade (2010-2021). Most empirical studies had been conducted in the United States (55/60), used cross-sectional approaches (32/60) and applied diverse regression models with FP measures as dependent variables, thus measuring the impact of Q on hospitals FP (34/60). The comparability of the studies' results is limited due to differences in applied methods and settings. Yet, the general overview shows that in almost half of the cases the association between hospital FP and Q was positive, while no study showed a clear negative association. CONCLUSION This scoping review provides an overview of the available literature on the association between hospital FP and Q. The results highlight numerous research gaps: (1) systematic reviews and meta-analyses of existing studies with similar measures of FP and Q are unavailable, (2) further methodological/conceptual work is needed on the metrics measuring hospital FP and Q, and (3) more empirical studies should analyse the association between FP and Q in non-US healthcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Dubas-Jakóbczyk
- Health Economics and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Kocot
- Health Economics and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marzena Tambor
- Health Economics and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Przemysław Szetela
- Health Economics and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Olga Kostrzewska
- Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Wilm Quentin
- Department of Health Care Management, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO European Centre for Health Policy Eurostation (Office 07C020), Brussels, Belgium
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Foroughi Z, Ebrahimi P, Aryankhesal A, Maleki M, Yazdani S. Hospitals during economic crisis: a systematic review based on resilience system capacities framework. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:977. [PMID: 35907833 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08316-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hospitals are the biggest users of the health system budgets. Policymakers are interested in improving hospital efficiency while maintaining their performance during the economic crisis. This study aims at analysing the hospitals’ policy solutions during the economic crisis using the resilience system capacities framework. Method This study is a systematic review. The search strategy was implemented on the Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus databases, and Econbiz search portal. Data were extracted and analysed through the comparative table of resilience system capacities framework and the World Health Organization (WHO) health system’s six building blocks (i.e., leadership and governance, service delivery, health workforce, health systems financing, health information systems, and medicines and equipment). Findings After the screening, 78 studies across 36 countries were reviewed. The economic crisis and adopted policies had a destructive effect on hospital contribution in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The short-term absorptive capacity policies were the most frequent policies against the economic crisis. Moreover, the least frequent and most effective policies were adaptive policies. Transformative policies mainly focused on moving from hospital-based to integrated and community-based services. The strength of primary care and community-based services, types and combination of hospital financing systems, hospital performance before the crisis, hospital managers’ competencies, and regional, specialties, and ownership differences between hospitals can affect the nature and success of adopted policies. Conclusion The focus of countries on short-term policies and undermining necessary contextual factors, prioritizing efficiency over quality, and ignoring the interrelation of policies compromised hospital contribution in UHC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08316-4.
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Basabih M, Prasojo E, Rahayu AYS. Hospital services under public-private partnerships, outcomes and, challenges: A literature review. J Public Health Res 2022; 11:22799036221115781. [PMID: 36052099 PMCID: PMC9424887 DOI: 10.1177/22799036221115781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Public-private partnerships (PPP) is used to advance health service access and
quality. PPP implementation in hospitals is vital to shorten the service and
quality gap. Hospitals are the most significant health budget spender, and this
study aimed to identify the PPP effect on hospital performance indicators and
its implementation challenges. Thirty-three inclusive articles were filtered and
collected from Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Medline, and Sage Publication databases.
Results showed that various articles succeeded in implementing PPP and improving
the access and quality of health services. Several hospital performance
indicators such as diagnosis, therapy, service waiting time, length of stay,
referral rate, mortality rate, and patient satisfaction were reported to show
better results. However, there was insufficient evidence to say the same on
related financial indicators. Policy, resource, communication and trust, risk,
and evaluation monitoring were considered challenges in PPP implementation. Its
success was not only influenced by major factors such as governance model,
finance, politics, and social but also was influenced by the medical practice
model applied within the organization. This study contributed to whether PPP
affects the hospital performance indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masyitoh Basabih
- Candidate Doctoral Faculty of Administrative Science, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Eko Prasojo
- Professor Faculty of Administrative Science, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Amy Yayuk Sri Rahayu
- Professor Faculty of Administrative Science, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
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Debets MPM, Silkens MEWM, Kruijthof KCJ, Lombarts KMJMH. Building organisations, setting minds: exploring how boards of Dutch medical specialist companies address physicians’ professional performance. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22. [PMID: 35123458 PMCID: PMC8818234 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07512-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Governments worldwide are reforming healthcare systems to achieve high quality and safe patient care while maintaining costs. Self-employed physicians reorganise into novel organisations to meet reconfiguration demands, impacting their work environment and practice. This study explores what strategies these novel organisations use to address physicians’ professional performance and what they encounter when executing these strategies to achieve high quality and safe care. Methods This constructivist exploratory qualitative study used focus groups to answer our research question. Between October 2018 and May 2019, we performed eight focus group sessions with purposively sampled Medical Specialist Companies (MSCs), which are novel physician-led organisations in the Netherlands. In each session, board members of an MSC participated (n = 33). Results MSCs used five strategies to address physicians’ professional performance: 1) actively managing and monitoring performance, 2) building a collective mindset, 3) professionalising selection and onboarding, 4) improving occupational well-being, and 5) harmonising working procedures. The MSC’s unique context determined which strategies and quality and safety topics deserved the most attention. Physicians’ support, trusting relationships with hospital administrators, and the MSC’s organisational maturity seem critical to the quality of the strategies’ execution. Conclusions The five strategies have clear links to physicians’ professional performance and quality and safety. Insight into whether an MSC’s strategies together reflect medical professional or organisational values seems crucial to engage physicians and collaboratively achieve high quality and safe care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-07512-6.
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Dubas-Jakóbczyk K, Kocot E, Tambor M, Quentin W. The association between hospital financial performance and the quality of care-a scoping review protocol. Syst Rev 2021; 10:221. [PMID: 34380566 PMCID: PMC8359611 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-021-01778-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitals operate under constant pressure to contain costs and improve the quality of care. The literature suggests that there is an association between health care providers' financial performance and the quality of care. On the one hand, providers that are financially more stable might have better capacity to maintain reliable systems and resources for quality improvement. On the other hand, providing better quality of care might lead to financial gains in the form of increased revenues or achieved savings and, in consequence, a higher profitability. The general objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the available evidence on the association between hospital financial performance and the quality of care. It aims to (1) provide a broad overview of the topic and (2) indicate a more precise research question for a future systematic review. METHODS This scoping review will follow five stages: (1) defining the research question; (2) identifying relevant literature; (3) study selection; (4) data extraction; (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results; and (6) the consultation process and engagement of knowledge users. The following databases will be searched: MEDLINE via PubMed, (2) EMBASE, (3) Web of Science, (4) Scopus, (5) EconLit, (6) ABI/INFORM, and (7) Business Source Premier. The reference lists of relevant papers will be visually scanned with the aim of identifying further studies of interest. Also, a gray literature search will be conducted by screening the websites of diverse organizations dealing with hospital performance and/or quality of care. The review will not apply a publication date limit and will include both quantitative and qualitative empirical studies as well as theoretical papers, technical reports, books/chapters, and thesis. The reporting will utilize the PRISMA extension for a Scoping Review checklist. DISCUSSION This scoping review will provide an overview of the existing literature on the association between hospital financial performance and the quality of care. The review process will apply a rigorous methodological approach while broad inclusion criteria should assure comprehensive coverage of the available literature. The main limitation of the review is related to the general limitation of scoping reviews, i.e., the lack of a systematic quality and risk of bias assessment of included studies. In addition, the review will include only publications in English. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION Open Science Framework osf.io/z25ag.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Dubas-Jakóbczyk
- Health Economic and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Kocot
- Health Economic and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marzena Tambor
- Health Economic and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawińska St., 31-066, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wilm Quentin
- Department of Health Care Management, Technische Universität Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni, 135 10623 Berlin, Germany
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO European Centre for Health Policy Eurostation (Office 07C020), Place Victor Horta/Victor Hortaplein, 40, /10 1060 Brussels, Belgium
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Rakic S, Djudurovic A, Antonic D. Financial sustainability strategies of public primary health care centres in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Int J Health Plann Manage 2021; 36:1772-1788. [PMID: 34128250 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The literature on the functioning of public health facilities in health systems with significant arrears is limited. The growing liabilities of health facilities and the accumulating arrears have been a challenge in the Republic of Srpska. Most public primary healthcare (PHC) centres generated a gross loss in 2018. METHOD Guided by the 'positive deviance' approach, we used an exploratory case study design to identify strategies used by managers to achieve financial sustainability in eight top-performing PHC centres. Qualitative data were collected through face-to-face in-depth semistructured interviews with key informants from the PHC centres that reported positive financial results in 2018. RESULTS Seven organisational goals, comprising 34 financial sustainability strategies, were recognised during the data analysis and were used to build an organisational-level model for a PHC centre. CONCLUSION Managers concurrently used multiple strategies to ensure financial sustainability. Each centre tailored its range of strategies to the organisational context, local context, and wider environment of the health system. The strategies were conceived and implemented by managers operating at different organisational levels under the leadership of top-level managers. Managers of indebted health facilities can learn from the positively deviant peers who manage facilities that achieved satisfactory financial performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severin Rakic
- Centre for Health System Development and International Cooperation, Public Health Institute of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.,Health Care and Nursing Faculty, Paneuropean University Apeiron, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Aljosa Djudurovic
- Centre for Health System Development and International Cooperation, Public Health Institute of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Darijana Antonic
- Centre for Health System Development and International Cooperation, Public Health Institute of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.,Health Care and Nursing Faculty, Paneuropean University Apeiron, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Polin K, Hjortland M, Maresso A, van Ginneken E, Busse R, Quentin W; HSPM network. "Top-Three" health reforms in 31 high-income countries in 2018 and 2019: an expert informed overview. Health Policy 2021; 125:815-32. [PMID: 34053787 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-income countries continuously reform their healthcare systems. Often, similar reforms are introduced concomitantly across countries. Although national policymakers would benefit from considering reform experiences abroad, exchange is limited. This paper provides an overview of health reform trends in 31 high-income countries in 2018 and 2019, i.e., before Covid-19. METHODS Information was collected from national experts from the Health Systems and Policy Monitor network. Experts were asked to report on the three "top" national health reforms 2018 and 2019. In 2019, they provided an update of 2018 reforms. Reforms were assigned to one of 11 clusters and identified as one of seven different reform types. RESULTS 81 reforms were reported in 28 countries in 2018. 44/81 went to four clusters: 'insurance coverage & resource generation', 'governance', 'healthcare purchasing & payment', and 'organisation of hospital care'. In 2019, 86 reforms in 30 countries were reported. 48/86 fell under 'organisation of primary & ambulatory care', 'governance', 'care coordination & specialised care', and 'organisation of hospital care'. Most 2018 reforms were reported ongoing in 2019; 27 implemented; seven abandoned. Health agency-led reforms were implemented most frequently, followed by central government-legislated reforms. CONCLUSIONS Policymakers can leverage international experience of distinct reform approaches addressing similar challenges and similar approaches to address distinct problems. Such knowledge may help inspire or support future successful health reform processes.
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Baumann A, Wyss K. The shift from inpatient care to outpatient care in Switzerland since 2017: Policy processes and the role of evidence. Health Policy 2021; 125:512-519. [PMID: 33579560 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The shift from inpatient care to the ambulatory sector is a central aspiration of European health systems. Despite demonstrated benefits, health reforms have struggled to realize their potential. In this context, we discuss recent hospital sector reforms in Switzerland and analyze the content, process, and role of evidence in the recent introduction of policies to substitute inpatient care with ambulatory care. The prevailing payment system incentivized hospitals to provide unnecessary and costly inpatient services, but federal reform on tariff structures was deemed politically unfeasible. Instead, driven by the pressure to contain costs, cantonal and federal health authorities began to deny reimbursement for selected inpatient procedures in 2017. These regulatory measures were effective in reducing inpatient admissions and health care costs. This case study illustrates that clear, simple messages about hospital sector reform can raise awareness of the need for change. However, the evidence used in the policy process was limited and not critically reviewed. Stakeholders used long-standing international comparisons of inpatient substitution potential to legitimize policies, but not to develop them. The analysis restates the importance of inter- and intranational comparative analyses and institutions such as health observatories and suggests aligning health system governance more proactively with international developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Baumann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Kaspar Wyss
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland.
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Dubas-Jakóbczyk K, Kocot E, Kozieł A. Financial Performance of Public Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study among Polish Providers. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17:ijerph17072188. [PMID: 32218275 PMCID: PMC7177959 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17072188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence of a positive association between health care providers’ financial standing and the quality of care. In Poland, the instable financial situation and growing debt of public hospitals has been a source of concern for more than two decades now. The objectives of this paper were to compare the financial performance of public hospitals in Poland, depending on the ownership and organizational form; and analyze whether there is an association between financial performance and the chosen variables. We conducted a cross sectional study covering the whole population of public hospitals operating in 2018. The total number of included units was 805. The hospitals’ financial outcomes were measured by several variables; Spearman’s rank correlation was calculated, and a multivariable logistic regression model was performed. In 2018, the majority of public hospitals in Poland (52%) generated a gross loss, while 40% hospitals had overdue liabilities. There were statistically significant differences between hospital groups, with university hospitals and those owned by counties (local hospitals) being in the most disadvantageous situation. Additionally, corporatized public hospitals performed worse than those functioning in the classic legal form of independent health care units. Urgent actions are needed to measure and monitor the potential impact of financial performance on the quality of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Dubas-Jakóbczyk
- Health Economic and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-008 Krakow, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Ewa Kocot
- Health Economic and Social Security Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-008 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Anna Kozieł
- Senior Health Specialist, Health, Nutrition & Population, World Bank, The World Bank Office in Poland, 00-113 Warsaw, Poland;
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