[EQ] Framework for assessing, improving and enhancing health service planning

Framework for assessing, improving and enhancing health service planning

Mihaly Fazekas, Stefanie Ettelt, Jennifer Newbould, Ellen Nolte

Sponsored by the Bertelsmann Foundation – RAND Europe 2010

Available online PDF [88p.] at: http://bit.ly/faIg7S

“…..Healthcare planning forms a key instrument for decision makers to influence and direct health service provision, a function which is likely to become more important in the light of increasingly complex challenges that demand innovative solutions. How this is achieved best and in what circumstances remains however uncertain, given the variety of approaches adopted in different settings.

 

This report aims to contribute to policy learning across countries from the diversity of healthcare planning approaches in Europe and elsewhere through developing and validating a framework for assessing, improving and enhancing healthcare planning. It identifies a set of criteria within three broad themes:
- "Vision",
- "Governance" and
- "Intelligence", which were then tested empirically through an in-depth analysis of four countries, using a case study approach: Germany, Austria, Canada (Ontario) and New Zealand.

 

The analysis provides important insights into how different systems approach healthcare planning, identifying common challenges, but also differences highlighting the very contextual nature within which healthcare planning as an instrument to directing health service provision sits. It will be important to understand the role and power of actors as powerful stakeholder interests are likely to undermine effective planning if there are no mechanisms in place that allow for consensus building and establish lines of accountability for implementation.

Broad political goals, such as ensuring economic sustainability, have to be considered and weighed against the goals of healthcare planning. The framework developed presents a first step towards developing a tool for assessing….”

Content:

CHAPTER 1 Introduction

CHAPTER 2 Healthcare planning and its context

2.1 Defining healthcare planning

2.1.1 What is healthcare planning?

2.2 The rationalist model of planning and its critique

2.2.1 Rational policy making and rational planning

2.2.2 Critique of rational planning

2.3 The context of healthcare planning

CHAPTER 3 The assessment framework

CHAPTER 4 Assessing international approaches to healthcare planning

4.1 Vision

4.1.1 Alignment of planning goals with health system goals

4.1.2 Comprehensiveness of the planning approach

4.1.3 Planning horizon

4.2 Governance

4.2.1 Clear responsibilities and lines of accountability

4.2.2 Appropriate sanctions and incentives

4.2.3 Balanced stakeholder involvement and commitment

4.2.4 Consistency of strategic and operational planning approaches

4.3 Intelligence

4.3.1 Availability of high quality data

4.3.2 Availability of appropriate analytical tools

4.3.3 Availability of adequate analytical and administrative capacity

4.3.4 Continuous monitoring and evaluation

4.4 Summary

CHAPTER 5 Conclusions

Reference List

APPENDICES 43

Appendix A: Germany

Appendix B: Austria

Appendix C: Ontario (Canada)

Appendix D: New Zealand
Appendix E: Topic guide

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