Health Equity: 09/17/12

Monday, September 17, 2012

[EQ] Transforming the delivery of health and social care - The case for fundamental change

Transforming the delivery of health and social care
The case for fundamental change

Chris Ham, Anna Dixon, Beatrice Brooke
The King’s Fund – September 2012 - London – UK

Available online PDF [61p.] at: http://bit.ly/PluZ40

“……Fundamental change to the delivery system is needed, with greater emphasis on:

- preventing illness and tackling risk factors, such as obesity, to help people remain in good health
- supporting people to live in their own homes and offering a wider range of housing options in the community
- providing high standards of primary care in all practices to enable more services to be delivered in primary care, where appropriate
- making more effective use of community health services and related social care, and ensuring these services are available 24/7 when needed
- using acute hospitals and care homes only for those people who cannot be treated or cared for more appropriately in other settings
- integrating care around the needs of people and populations….”

“……In our view, the future health and social care delivery system needs to:

- see patients and service users as part of the care team
- focus on the development of effective health and social care teams in which staff work flexibly and full use is made of the range of skills available
- provide care in the right place at the right time by reducing overreliance on hospitals and care homes
- use information and communication technologies to revolutionise patients’ and users’ experiences
- harness the potential of new medical technologies more effectively
- make intelligent use of data and information to empower patients and support professionals to deliver high-quality care….”

Content:

Summary

Introduction

1 The drivers of change

Demographic changes

Health outcomes and life expectancy

The burden of disease and disability

Risk factors

Public and patient expectations

Medical advances

Financial and human resources

2 How well equipped is the current delivery system to respond to the drivers of change?

Population health and health outcomes

Primary care

Hospital care

Social care

Mental health

3 The health and social care system of the future

Enhancing the role of patients and users in the care team

Changing professional roles

Rethinking the location of care

Using new information and communication technologies

Harnessing the potential of new medical technologies

Making intelligent use of data and information

4 Making it happen

Sources of innovation

The challenge of innovation

The way forward

References

KMC/2012/HSS
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

* * *
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]
Washington DC USA

“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”.
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[EQ] Universal Health Coverage - Theme Issue The Lancet

Universal Health Coverage

The Lancet - Themed issue, published Sept 7, 2012

Website: http://bit.ly/PA24Ye

“……….Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization WHO, has stated that "Universal Health Coverage is the single most powerful concept that public health has to offer."

In this themed issue of The Lancet, the first of three Series papers explores the evidence on the links between expansions in coverage and population health outcomes. The second paper looks at the political and economic dimensions of the transition to universal health coverage, and the third examines nine low-income and lower-middle-income countries in Africa and Asia that have implemented national health insurance reforms. Also, a Viewpoint calls for continued progress and argues for a large public sector role in health systems reform.

What becomes clear in this issue is that although universal health coverage is not a guarantee for progress, attention should focus now not on whether, but on how to make the most of the transition. In a Comment, Judith Rodin and David de Ferranti conclude: "what will emerge in the decades ahead in each country undertaking reform is not entirely clear, but, as this Series and many country examples suggest, we are getting closer to a time when this [transition toward universal health coverage] will be achieved and families will no longer be at risk of having the cost of sickness ruin their lives."

Comments

Universal health coverage: a third global health transition?

Judith Rodin, David de Ferranti

Full Text

Universal health coverage: good health, good economics

Julio Frenk, David de Ferranti

Full Text

Universal health coverage is a development issue

David B Evans, Robert Marten, Carissa Etienne

Full Text

Series Papers

Does Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage Improve Population Health?

Rodrigo Moreno-Serra, Peter C Smith

Summary

Political and Economic Features of the Transition to Universal Health Coverage

William D Savedoff, David de Ferranti, Amy L Smith, Victoria Fan

Summary

Moving Toward Universal Health Coverage: Recent Health Insurance Reforms in Nine Lower Income Countries in Africa and Asia

Gina Lagomarsino, Alice Garabrant, Atikah Adyas, Richard Muga, Nathaniel Otoo

Summary |

MP3 Audio:

Universal Health Coverage
Jeff Sachs discusses progress to UHC in developing countries.
Download

Thank you.

[EQ] Health Situation in the Americas. Basic Indicators 2012

Health Situation in the Americas. Basic Indicators 2012

Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) - 2012

presents the latest available information on health indicators for 48 countries/territories in the Region of the Americas.

Available online at: http://bit.ly/NxsA7Q

“…..This edition highlights the mortality due to external causes (EC); those causes of death different from natural causes and recognized as avoidable such as suicides, homicides and accidents. From the data reported by the countries, it is estimated that over 5.5 million people died from EC in the Region between 1999 and 2009.

Three and a half million deaths (64%) occurred among the young and adult population (10-49 years old) with an average of 319,000 deaths per year; 84% of the deaths happened among males, five times more deaths among men than women. The most frequent causes were homicides (33%) and land transport accidents (26%).

Mortality from land transport accidents and homicides might be associated with economic, educational, political, social, and cultural factors. Also, they overburden the health care systems and pose a high cost on society, in addition to the suffering of the victims and their families6. In several countries of the Region the proportion of population in productive ages regarding the number of the youngest and the oldest are increasing, favoring their economic growth.

The negative potential impact of these deaths over this “demographic bonus” is an important call to countries for action given the preventability of these outcomes.

The information presented in this brochure has been compiled, processed and reviewed by PAHO/WHO technical staff in collaboration with ministries of health and national statistics offices from countries of the Americas….”

KMC/2012/HSD
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

* * *
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]
Washington DC USA

Thank you.

[EQ] 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference Begins Today PAHO/WHO

28th Pan American Sanitary Conference Begins Today PAHO/WHO

Ministers of Health of all the countries of the Americas will gather at the headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) from 17-21 September for the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference to analyze the health policies in the Region.

Website: http://bit.ly/QjA0eW

During the Pan American Sanitary Conference, PAHO Member States will elect the next Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau, the secretariat of PAHO. The director-elect will begin his or her five-year term on 1 February 2013, taking over from Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, of Argentina, who has been serving as Director of PAHO since 1 February 2003.

The 2012 edition of Health in the Americas, a publication that provides an update on the health situation in the 48 countries and territories of the Region, will also be presented. The report describes the progress made by the countries of the Americas and the challenges they face as they work to improve health in the Region, presenting an integrated approach to the most pressing health issues. The main theme of the publication is inequality in resources and in the distribution of health and well-being among and within countries.

Member States will also decide on the admission of Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten as Associate Members of PAHO/WHO.

The Pan American Sanitary Conference is the supreme governing authority of the Organization and meets every five years to determine its policies and priorities. The Conference also serves as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas relating to the prevention of disease; the preservation, promotion and restoration of mental and physical health; and the promotion of health.

The meeting will begin on Monday 17 September at 9:00 a.m. and will take place at PAHO Headquarters, Washington, D.C. For five days, the health leaders and representatives will analyze agenda items such as the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, integrated child health, and health-related knowledge management and communication. They will also discuss the coordination of health-related international humanitarian assistance in case of disasters, progress in the area of gender equality, and HIV/AIDS prevention and control, among other topics.

The Director of PAHO, Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, will present the organization’s quinquennial report, which highlights the public health achievements of the past decade and pending challenges in the Americas.

Various activities will be held in parallel with the Pan American Sanitary Conference, including a meeting of the Regional Coalition on Water and Sanitation for the Elimination of Cholera from the Island of Hispaniola, on Tuesday 18 September. A book that captures the ten years of experience with the Vaccination Week in the Americas initiative will also be launched, among other activities.

Finally, the Awards for Excellence in Inter-American Public Health of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF) and the PAHO Award for Administration will be conferred.

PAHO, which celebrates its 110th anniversary this year, is the world’s oldest public health organization. It works with all the countries of the Hemisphere to improve the health and quality of life of the peoples of the Americas and serves as the WHO Regional Office for the Americas.

What:    Opening of the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference of PAHO, 64th Session of the Regional Committee of WHO for the Americas

When:    Monday 17 September 2012, starting at 9:00 a.m.

Where:    PAHO Headquarters, 525 23rd Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Who:

· Luis Castillo, Undersecretary of Assistance Networks, Ministry of Health of Chile, outgoing President of the Pan American Sanitary Conference

· Mirta Roses Periago, Director of PAHO/WHO

· José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States

· Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

· Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization

Please visit and subscribe to our blog to receive updates: http://psc28.wordpress.com/

Links:

· Pan American Sanitary Conference

· Election of the Director

· twitter #psc28

KMC/2012/KMC
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

* * *
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]
Washington DC USA

Thank you.