The International journal of health planning and management
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Int J Health Plann Manage · Jan 2019
The impact of health transformation plan on hospitalization rates in Iran: An interrupted time series.
The study aims to assess the impact of health transformation plan (HTP) as a major health system reform on hospitalization rate in Iran. Health transformation plan adopted different measures to increase the coverage of basic health insurance, increase the quality of outpatient visit care, improve and expand the family physician program, expand health services to suburban areas, reduce out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for inpatient services, and update tariffs to more realistic ones. ⋯ Health transformation plan has improved the utilization of hospitalization care services in a province that historically had been suffering from underutilized hospital services.
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Int J Health Plann Manage · Jan 2019
Association between patient attachment to a regular doctor and self-perceived unmet health care needs in Canada: A population-based analysis of the 2013 to 2014 Canadian community health surveys.
Although Canada operates a universal health care insurance system, equitable access to required health care services when needed still poses a challenge for some. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between patient attachment to a family physician and self-perceived unmet health care needs (UHN) in Canada, after adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors of the behavioral model of health services use. ⋯ Ongoing public discourses on improving primary health care performance and reducing the burden of UHN in Canada should prioritize efforts that promote and facilitate the use of a regular family physician.
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Int J Health Plann Manage · Jan 2019
Low prioritization of latent tuberculosis infection-A systemic barrier to tuberculosis control: A qualitative study in Ontario, Canada.
Eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in low-incidence countries is an important global health priority, and Canada has committed to achieve this goal. The elimination of TB in low-incidence countries requires effective management and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). This study aimed to understand and describe the system-level barriers to LTBI treatment for immigrant populations in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Ontario, Canada. ⋯ This multiperspective study identified barriers beyond the typical socioeconomic determinants and highlighted important upstream factors that hinder treatment initiation and adherence. Addressing these factors is critical if Canada is to meet the WHO's global call to eradicate TB in all low incidence settings.
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Int J Health Plann Manage · Jan 2019
The effect of patient satisfaction with academic hospitals on their loyalty.
Patients' loyalty to a health care institution can lead to the aggregation of patients' medical history in an institution and facilitating access to records by health care providers. Considering the increase of the competition between providers, it is important to gain patients' satisfaction, which leads to their return and loyalty. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of patients' satisfaction with service quality on their loyalty. ⋯ The results showed that patient satisfaction with service quality affects their hospital choices and increases loyalty. In order to increase patient loyalty to academic hospitals, improving the services quality along with delivering cost-effective cares, improving hospital environment, and providing useful information to patients are recommended.
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Int J Health Plann Manage · Jan 2019
Inequality trends in the demographic and geographic distribution of health care professionals in China: Data from 2002 to 2016.
China has long been negatively affected by a shortage and maldistribution of health workers. This study aimed to examine the national and regional trends in the demographic and geographic distribution inequality of health care professionals in China from 2002 to 2016. Based on data from the China Health and Family Planning Statistical and China Statistical Yearbooks, we calculated the Gini coefficient and the Theil T and Theil L indices based on the number of health care professionals per capita and per geographic area to measure the inequalities in their demographic and geographic distribution, respectively. ⋯ To conclude, the distribution equality of health care professionals by population was satisfactory, whereas the corresponding distribution inequality by area was severe. Different types of distribution inequality of health care professionals existed regionally and nationally despite their increasing quantities and densities. Factors beyond population size should be considered when the government introduces health workforce allocation policies.