International journal for equity in health
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Int J Equity Health · Nov 2018
A turnaround strategy: improving equity in order to achieve quality of care and financial sustainability in Italy.
Equity, financial sustainability, and quality in healthcare are key goals embraced by universal health systems. However, systematic performance management strategies for achieving equity are still weaker than those aimed at achieving financial sustainability and quality of care. Using a vertical equity perspective, the overarching aim of this paper is to examine how improving equity in quality of care impacts on financial sustainability. We applied a simulation to indicators of the heart failure clinical pathway in Tuscany (central Italy), in order to quantify the equity gaps and financial resources that could be reallocated in the absence of performance inequities. ⋯ Reducing equity gaps by improving the performance of low-SES patients may be a crucial strategy to achieving financial sustainability in universal coverage healthcare systems. Universal healthcare systems, which aim to pursue financial sustainability and quality of care, are thus urged to develop performance management actions to improve equity. This approach should not only include the measurement and public disclosure of equity indicators but be part of a comprehensive evidence-based strategy for the management of chronic conditions along the clinical pathway.
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Int J Equity Health · Nov 2018
Inequalities in the geographic distribution of hospital beds and doctors in traditional Chinese medicine from 2004 to 2014.
This study identifies inequities in the provincial-level geographical distribution of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital beds and doctors in China from 2004 to 2014. This provides policy implications of the optimal allocation of TCM health care resources. ⋯ Targeted health policy with equitable distribution of TCM hospital beds (doctors) per square kilometer and the balance and coordination of related resources should be a priority in shaping China's healthcare system reform.