Critical Challenges for Health Care Reform in Europe

Introduction

Part one: The context for health reform

Values, norms and the reform of healthcare systems
Macro-economic constraints and health challenges facing European health systems

Part two: Demand side strategies

Balancing competition and solidarity in healthcare financing
The appropriate role for patient cost-sharing
Priority setting and rationing health services
Reforming public health services

Part three: Supply side strategies

Contracting models and provider competition
The allocation of capital and health sector reform
Performance-tied payment systems for physicians
Financing operating costs for hospital services
Changing hospital systems
The usual suspect and the failure of cost containment
regulating expenditure on medicines in European Union countries

Part four: On state, citizen and society

The role of the state in healthcare reform
Optimal balance of centralized and decentralized management
Citizen participation and patient choice in health reform
Values, norms and the reform of healthcare systems

Part five: Implementing health reform

Implementing healthcare reform
a framework for discussion
Implementing healthcare reform
a review of current experience

Part six: Assessing the evidence

Index.