Efficiency of Health System Units in Africa

Efficiency of Health System Units in Africa PDF

Author: Kirigia, Joses Muthuri

Publisher: University of Nairobi Press

Published: 2015-03-16

Total Pages: 548

ISBN-13: 9966792155

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Despite sending huge sums of money on health every year the African region's burden of disease is persistently high. Most of the countries in the region are lagging behind in achieving the health-related United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The African region's dismal health situation has largely been blamed on weakness pertaining to such factors as health leadership and governance; service delivery; health workforce; medicines, vaccines, and health technologies; health information; and health system financing that have undermined the capacity of health systems of countries in the region to improve population health without wastage of resources. Institutionalising health system efficiency monitoring, as a basis for the design and implementation of appropriate policy interventions, has been proposed as an effective way of curbing wastage of health system inputs. Efficiency of Health System Units in Africa: A Data Envelopment Analysis is the first book of its kind on application of the data envelopment analysis technique to examine the efficiency of health system decision-making units in Africa. The book interlaces lecture notes with research articles and case studies to equip students and practitioners of economics, operations research, management science, and public health with knowledge and skills for undertaking technical efficiency, cost efficiency, and total factor productivity analyses.

Historical Perspectives on the State of Health and Health Systems in Africa, Volume II

Historical Perspectives on the State of Health and Health Systems in Africa, Volume II PDF

Author: Mario J. Azevedo

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-01-24

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 3319325647

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This book focuses on Africa’s challenges, achievements, and failures over the past several centuries using an interdisciplinary approach that combines theory and fact and evidence-based practices and interventions in public health, and argues that most of the health problems in Africa are not a result of scarce or lack of resources, but of the misconceived and misplaced priorities that have left the continent behind every other on the globe in terms of health, education, and equitable distribution of opportunities and access to (quality) health as agreed by the United Nations member states at Alma-Ata in 1978.

HEALTH SERVICES IN AFRICA

HEALTH SERVICES IN AFRICA PDF

Author: Chinua Akukwe

Publisher: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd

Published: 2008-04-25

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 1912234165

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The challenges to better health services in Africa are well known: Africa lags behind all regions of the world, including other developing regions, on all indicators of better health. A recent report from the World Health Organisation for instance shows that while Africa has 20% of the world's sick people, it has only 4% of its healthcare workers - many of them vulnerable to the high mortality rate associated with malaria and notably the AIDS epidemic. The state of investment in healthcare infrastructure is also grossly inadequate as is the efficiency of healthcare delivery. But does this need to be so? What factors are responsible for this unacceptable state of affairs? Contributors to the volume examine the evolution of healthcare services in Africa, the ongoing national, regional and continental efforts to improve the delivery of healthcare in the continent, and the direct and indirect obstacles militating against the maturation of the services and their efficient delivery. The contributors - all distinguished experts in the field, who hold either challenging responsibilities in health in Africa or have worked in multiple components of the healthcare delivery system in the continent - also provide powerful personal insights and lessons learned in their current or previous work in the health sector in Africa. Some of the themes covered include clinical care and centers of excellence, healthcare finance and resource mobilization, primary health care systems and community health; preventive care and risk reduction in health; the role of reference laboratories; clinical research and partnerships, the role of epidemiology, statistics, monitoring and evaluation in health services; the role of the African Diaspora, and the role of politics in the organization of healthcare and the training of medical and other health professionals. From their analyses and experience the authors articulate proven strategies and solutions based on consensus expert opinions on how to improve the quality of health services and health outcomes in the continent.

Governing Health Systems in Africa

Governing Health Systems in Africa PDF

Author: Martyn Sama

Publisher: African Books Collective

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 2869781822

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Drawing on various disciplinary perspectives, this book re-focuses the debate on what makes a good health system, with a view to clarifying the uses of social science research in thinking about health care issues in Africa. The explosion of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the persistence of malaria as a major killer, and the resurgence of diseases like tuberculosis which were previously under control, have brought about changes in the health system, with implications for its governance, especially in view of the diminished capacity of the public health facilities to cope with a complex range of expanded needs. Government responsibilities and objectives in the health sector have been redefined, with private sector entities (both for profit and not-for profit) playing an increasingly visible role in health care provisions. The reasons for collaborative patterns vary, but chronic under-funding of publicly financed health services is often an important factor. Processes of decentralisation and health sector reforms have had mixed effects on health care system performance; while private health insurance markets and private clinics are pointers to a growing stratification of the health market, in line with the intensified income and social differentiation that has occurred over the last two decades.These developments call for health sector reforms.

Waste Not, Want Not

Waste Not, Want Not PDF

Author: Francesco Grigoli

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2013-08-28

Total Pages: 26

ISBN-13: 1484364481

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Public health spending is low in emerging and developing economies relative to advanced economies and health outputs and outcomes need to be substantially improved. Simply increasing public expenditure in the health sector, however, may not significantly affect health outcomes if the efficiency of this spending is low. This paper quantifies the inefficiency of public health expenditure and the associated potential gains for emerging and developing economies using a stochastic frontier model that controls for the socioeconomic determinants of health, and provides country-specific estimates. The results suggest that African economies have the lowest efficiency. At current spending levels, they could boost life expectancy up to about five years if they followed best practices.

Measuring Efficiency in Health Care

Measuring Efficiency in Health Care PDF

Author: Rowena Jacobs

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 175

ISBN-13: 9780511317156

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"This book examines some of the most important techniques currently available to measure the efficiency of systems and organisations, including data envelopment analysis and stochastic frontier analysis, and also presents some promising new methodological approaches." [Title verso].

Sustainable Health Care Financing in Southern Africa

Sustainable Health Care Financing in Southern Africa PDF

Author: Allison Beattie

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 9780821341452

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World Bank Discussion Paper No. 385. Since the advent of reform in 1992, the Russian authorities have made substantial strides toward creating a market economy through privatization. Recently, Russian authorities have established an institutional framework for a case-by-case approach that ensures transparency and competition through the use of independent financial and other advisers. This paper contains the principal presentations made at a World Bank workshop on the lessons of international experience in case-by-case privatization.

High Performance in Hospital Management

High Performance in Hospital Management PDF

Author: Edda Weimann

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-05-10

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13: 3662496607

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This book provides a broad overview of what is needed to run hospitals and other health care facilities effectively and efficiently. All of the skills and tools required to achieve this aim are elucidated in the book, including business engineering and change management, strategic planning and the Balanced Scorecard, project management, integrative innovation management, social and ethical aspects of human resource management, communication and conflict management, staff development and leadership. The guidance offered is exceptional and applicable in both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, the relevant theoretical background is outlined and instructive case reports are included. Each chapter finishes with a summary and five reflective questions. Excellence can only be achieved when health care professionals show in addition to their medical skills a high level of managerial competence. High performance in Hospital Management assists managers of health care providers as well as doctors and nurses to engage in the successful management of a health care facility.

Health System Efficiency

Health System Efficiency PDF

Author: Jonathan Cylus

Publisher: Health Policy

Published: 2016-12-15

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 9789289050418

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In this book the authors explore the state of the art on efficiency measurement in health systems and international experts offer insights into the pitfalls and potential associated with various measurement techniques. The authors show that: - The core idea of efficiency is easy to understand in principle - maximizing valued outputs relative to inputs, but is often difficult to make operational in real-life situations - There have been numerous advances in data collection and availability, as well as innovative methodological approaches that give valuable insights into how efficiently health care is delivered - Our simple analytical framework can facilitate the development and interpretation of efficiency indicators.

Functional Performance in Older Adults

Functional Performance in Older Adults PDF

Author: Bette R Bonder

Publisher: F.A. Davis

Published: 2017-12-04

Total Pages: 600

ISBN-13: 0803658834

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Support the very best health, well-being, and quality of life for older adults! Here’s the ideal resource for rehabilitation professionals who are working with or preparing to work with older adults! You’ll find descriptions of the normal aging process, discussions of how health and social factors can impede your clients’ ability to participate in regular activities, and step-by-step guidance on how to develop strategies for maximizing their well-being.