Thursday, February 18, 2010

[EQ] Getting the measure of quality

Getting the measure of quality

Opportunities and challenges


Veena S Raleigh,
Senior Fellow in the policy directorate at The King’s Fund working on quality measurement and epidemiological issues.

Catherine Foot, Senior Fellow in the policy directorate at The King’s Fund. She is currently managing a programme of work on delivering the quality agenda

The King’s Fund 2010

 

Available online PDF [36p.] at: http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/research/publications/quality_measures.html

 

“……Another aspect of quality that has received relatively little focus in the context of the quality measurement initiatives following the Next Stage Review is that of inequalities.

Health care (preventive and curative) should be provided on the basis of clinical need, regardless of personal characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or geographical location, and it should aim to reduce differences in health status, access to services and outcomes across population sub-groups.

Equality legislation also mandates requirements for equity, and the Marmot Review has put a renewed focus on health inequalities (Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England 2009). England has been among the international leaders in terms of setting targets and driving cross-government and public health policies to reduce health inequalities (Department of Health 2009b). Although health inequalities have continued to widen, they remain a top priority for the government. But the quality agenda has not yet encompassed the measurement of inequalities and equity and currently lacks an explicit focus on reducing inequalities….”

Content:

Introduction

1 Defining quality: what are we measuring?

Domains of quality

Efficiency, productivity and value for money

Equity and health inequalities

Measurement across pathways and between organisations

Not everything that matters can be measured

2 Who uses quality measures and for what purpose?

Audiences for measures of quality

The aims of measurement should determine what and how we measure

Interpretation matters: what measures of quality can and can’t tell you

The importance of a coherent policy framework for quality improvement

3 The potential impact of measuring quality

Use for measurement to improve the quality of health care

International comparisons and benchmarking

Potential for unintended consequences

4 Practical issues to consider when choosing and using quality measures

Selection of indicators

Data sources: current versus new

Data coverage and quality

Reporting on data quality

Some methodological and related issues

Centrally versus locally produced indicators

Evaluating and refining indicators

5 Conclusions

Useful reading

References

 


 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website

Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.  

[EQ] Nordic health care systems - Recent reforms and current policy challenges'EQUIDAD@LISTSERV.PAHO.ORG'

Nordic health care systems

Recent reforms and current policy challenges

Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education
World Health Organization 2009 on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Available online PDF [362p.] at: http://www.euro.who.int/document/e93429.pdf

“….The Nordic model of health care systems is assumed to contain consistent features across all five Nordic countries, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland: tax-based funding, publicly owned and operated hospitals, universal access based on residency, and comprehensive coverage. The reality is considerably more complex, with great variation at the structural level in the way that institutions are designed and at the policy level in the way strategies are conceived and implemented.

This new comparative study, which also assesses the influence of the European Union on the Nordic health systems, highlights how the Nordic countries have retained the principles of universalism and equity while promoting the benefits of patient choice. These insights will be a welcome addition for health sector policy-makers and for students of health policy, not just in the Nordic countries but across Europe.

The editors:
Jon Magnussen Professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway.
Karsten Vrangbaek Lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Richard B. Saltman Associate Head of Research Policy at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.


The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies is a partnership between the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the Governments of Belgium, Finland, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, the Veneto Region, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine



Part I Nordic health care systems: balancing stability and change

one Introduction: the Nordic model of health care

Jon Magnussen, Karsten Vrangbæk, Richard B. Saltman and Pål E. Martinussen

two Health care reform: the Nordic experience

Pål E. Martinussen and Jon Magnussen

three The political process of restructuring Nordic health systems

Karsten Vrangbæk

four Looking forward: future policy issues

Richard B. Saltman and Karsten Vrangbæk

Part II Nordic health systems: key issues

five The changing political governance structures of Nordic health care systems

Terje P. Hagen and Karsten Vrangbæk

six Meeting rising public expectations: the changing roles of patients and citizens

Ulrika Winblad and Ånen Ringard

seven The changing autonomy of the Nordic medical professions

Peter K. Jespersen and Sirpa Wrede

eight Maintaining fiscal sustainability in the Nordic countries

Clas Rehnberg, Jon Magnussen and Kalevi Luoma

nine Harnessing diversity of provision

Unto Häkkinen and Pia M. Jonsson

ten Changing perceptions of equity and fairness

Johan Calltorp and Meri Larivaara

eleven Reforming primary health care

Allan Krasnik and Bård Paulsen

twelve Addressing the dual goals of improving health and reducing health inequalities

Signild Vallgårda and Juhani Lehto

thirteen Changing demands for institutional management

Lars Erik Kjekshus

fourteen The European Union: single market pressures

Dorte S. Martinsen and Paula Blomqvist

fifteen The Icelandic health care system 3

Tinna L. Ásgeirsdóttir


 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

 

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.