The New Left and Health Care Reform in El Salvador

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary A. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Policy Diffusion ◽  
New Left ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Policy Window ◽  
Pan American ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractAfter a decade of civil war and four consecutive conservative administrations, El Salvador's leftist FMLN won its first presidential election in 2009. How has public policy changed under this New Left government, and why? This article addresses the question in the area of public health care. An alliance of health sector leaders with both technocratic and diplomatic abilities capitalized on the policy window opened by the FMLN's electoral victory and worked within the parameters set by President Mauricio Funes, the FMLN, and civil society to universalize health care. The new minister of health, a professional highly esteemed inside and outside the country, was able to engage both a large social movement protesting neoliberal policy and an energetic health diplomat sent by the Pan American Health Organization. In designing its reform, this alliance benefited from international as well as “bottom-up” policy diffusion.

THE PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION: HEALTH CARE MEANS MORE THAN DOCTORS

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 828-828
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Agriculture Industry ◽  
The Face ◽  
Pan American ◽  
Unsafe Water ◽  
Health Organization

Today, the governments of the Americas, together with organizations like the Pan American Health Organization, are working to extend health care to rural groups, as well as to the urban poor. The task is a difficult one, but health workers are now employing what they call a "multisectoral approach" to improve health services for such underserved people. It means that all sectors-education, agriculture, industry-are directed towards the common task of improving health conditions. This multisectoral approach was devised after many years of experience of attempting-and very often failing-to solve health problems by the health sector alone. For example, much money and energy went towards increasing the numbers of doctors and hospital beds; the idea was to model health services after the examples of wealthy developed nations. However, as explained by Dr. Fortunato Vargas-Tentori, PAHO's coordinator for health care extension, other factors were found to influence the level of health of the population. They include poor living conditions, unsafe water, malnutrition, and unproductive agriculture. In the face of such conditions, doctors-even if they were available-could do little of lasting good.

scholarly journals Bioethics applied in a public health research

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 11-15
Author(s):  
Lydia López Pontigo ◽  
Rosa N. Villegas-Delgadillo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Moral Issues ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Pan American ◽  
Health Organization

This article highlights the importance of bioethics when a research in the field of public health is being carried out. Research in health care allows us to obtain advances such as: preventing diseases, diagnose them and treat them. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) states that Bioethics is the discipline that looks to explain ethical problems that emerge in relation to health by doing research on human beings, designing and implementing a health policy, and providing medical attention. Bioethics is not a code of precepts but an activity of analysis based on ethical principles and criteria that guide the medical praxis in several health care areas. In 2004, the UNESCO launched a program of ethical teaching which varies depending on the region and country, and demands special attention regarding moral issues that are relevant in such specific regions. Based on those recommendations and reports, the UNESCO launched that same year, the Program of Bioethics Teaching.

scholarly journals Implications of Outbound Medical Tourism on Public Health Care Development in Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (30) ◽  
pp. 353
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Oluwapelumi Orekoya ◽  
Omobola Oyebola Oduyoye
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Tourism ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health Service Delivery ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Secondary Source ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care Development

Medical tourism is the practice of patients travelling out of their country of origin or residence for the purpose of getting access to medical care services abroad. Outbound medical tourism is a phenomenon in Nigeria thereby contributing to the growth of the health care industry in destination countries. The paper examines the implications of outbound medical tourism on public health care development in Nigeria and reinforces the need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to restructure and reposition the health sector in the country towards effective and efficient health service delivery. The study employs secondary source of data. Public administrators and health care practitioners concerned about transforming Nigeria into a centre of medical tourist attraction may find it suitable to start by examining the issues raised in this study to initiate a good policy framework for the health sector. The study concludes that huge investment in the health sector can drastically reduce outbound medical tourism, make health care services affordable to all Nigerians and utilising foreign exchange to develop other relevant sectors of the Nigerian economy.

scholarly journals Patients’ Habits and the Role of Pharmacists and Telemedicine as Elements of a Modern Health Care System during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 4211
Author(s):  
Patrycja Grosman-Dziewiszek ◽  
Benita Wiatrak ◽  
Izabela Jęśkowiak ◽  
Adam Szeląg
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Pharmaceutical Care ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
World Health ◽  
Access To Medical Care ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Polish Government

Aims/Introduction: The Polish government introduced the epidemic on 20 March 2020, after The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in January 2020. Patients’ access to specialist clinics and family medicine clinics was limited. In this situation, pharmacists were likely the first option for patient’s health information. On 18 March 2020, the National Health Fund issued modifications that increased the accessibility to primary health care such as telemedicine. The development of e-health in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic included the implementation of electronic medical records (EDM), telemedicine development, e-prescription, and e-referrals implementation. We investigated this emergency’s effect on patients’ health habits, access to healthcare, and attitude to vaccination. Materials and methods: An anonymous study in the form of an electronic and paper questionnaire was conducted in March 2021 among 926 pharmacies patients in Poland. The content of the questionnaire included access to medical care, performing preventive examinations, implementation of e-prescriptions, patient satisfaction with telepathing, pharmaceutical care, and COVID-19 vaccination. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 456 (49.2%) patients experienced worse access to a doctor. On the other hand, 483 (52.2%) patients did not perform preventive examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost half of the patients (45.4% (n = 420)) were not satisfied with the teleconsultation visit to the doctor. A total of 90% (n = 833) of the respondents do not need help in making an appointment with a doctor and buying medications prescribed by a doctor in the form of an e-prescription. In the absence of access to medical consultation, 38.2% (n = 354) of respondents choose the Internet as a source of medical advice. However, in the absence of contact with a doctor, 229 persons (24.7%) who took part in the survey consulted a pharmacist. In addition, 239 persons (25.8%) used pharmacist advice more often during the COVID-19 pandemic than before its outbreak on 12 March 2020. Moreover, 457 (49.4%) respondents are satisfied with the advice provided by pharmacists, and even 439 patients of pharmacies (47.4%) expect an increase in the scope of pharmaceutical care in the future, including medical advice provided by pharmacists. Most of the respondents, 45.6% (n = 422), want to be vaccinated in a hospital or clinic, but at the same time, for a slightly smaller number of people, 44.6% (n = 413), it has no meaning where they are will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Conclusions: Telemedicine is appreciated by patients but also has some limitations. The COVID-19 pandemic is the chance for telemedicine to transform from implementations to a routine healthcare system structure. However, some patients still need face-to-face contact with the doctor or pharmacist. Pharmacists are essential contributors to public health and play an essential role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Integration of pharmaceutical care with public health care and strong growth in the professional group of pharmacists may have optimized patient care.

Economic Burden of Public Health Care Was Higher than that of Hospitalization and Treatment Associated with COVID-19 In China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohua Liang ◽  
Lun Xiao ◽  
Xue-Li Yang ◽  
Xuefei Zhong ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Public Health Care

scholarly journals An Economic Evaluation of Disallowing Body Checking in 11- to 12-Year-Old Ice Hockey Leagues

2021 ◽  
pp. 194173812110215
Author(s):  
Gillian R. Currie ◽  
Raymond Lee ◽  
Amanda M. Black ◽  
Luz Palacios-Derflingher ◽  
Brent E. Hagel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Policy Change ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Ice Hockey ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Public Health Care System ◽  
Body Checking ◽  
Care System

Background: After a national policy change in 2013 disallowing body checking in Pee Wee ice hockey games, the rate of injury was reduced by 50% in Alberta. However, the effect on associated health care costs has not been examined previously. Hypothesis: A national policy removing body checking in Pee Wee (ages 11-12 years) ice hockey games will reduce injury rates, as well as costs. Study Design: Cost-effectiveness analysis alongside cohort study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted alongside a cohort study comparing rates of game injuries in Pee Wee hockey games in Alberta in a season when body checking was allowed (2011-2012) with a season when it was disallowed after a national policy change (2013-2014). The effectiveness measure was the rate of game injuries per 1000 player-hours. Costs were estimated based on associated health care use from both the publicly funded health care system and privately paid health care cost perspectives. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted using bootstrapping. Results: Disallowing body checking significantly reduced the rate of game injuries (−2.21; 95% CI [−3.12, −1.31] injuries per 1000 player-hours). We found no statistically significant difference in public health care system (−$83; 95% CI [−$386, $220]) or private health care costs (−$70; 95% CI [−$198, $57]) per 1000 player-hours. The probability that the policy of disallowing body checking was dominant (with both fewer injuries and lower costs) from the perspective of the public health care system and privately paid health care was 78% and 92%, respectively. Conclusion: Given the significant reduction in injuries, combined with lower public health care system and private costs in the large majority of iterations in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, our findings support the policy change disallowing body checking in ice hockey in 11- and 12-year-old ice hockey leagues.

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