Health Care Policy In East Asia A World Scientific Reference In 4 Volumes

During the past three decades, health care systems in the East Asian regions of China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have undergone major changes. Each system has its unique achievements and challenges. Global health care policymakers are increasingly interested in understanding the changes that have taken place in these four systems. This four-volume reference set is designed to help health care professionals, academics, policymakers, and general readers gain a good grasp of the background and latest developments in the health care systems of China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. This reference set provides an in-depth comparative health policy analysis and discussion of health care reform strategies in each of these systems. One unique feature of this set is that each volume has been edited by a leading scholar who has been deeply involved in the development of the health care system in that particular region. Each of these editors also has invited both scholars and practitioners to provide a first-hand description and analysis of key health care reform issues in that system. The many examples provided in each volume demonstrate how findings of evidence-based policy research can be implemented into policy practice.Volume 1 describes and discusses China's ambitious and complex journey of health care reform since 2009. The Chinese government has achieved universal health insurance coverage and has embarked on reforms of the service delivery system and provider payment methods that are aimed at controlling health expenditure growth and improving efficiency. This volume includes pilot and social experiments initiated by the government and researchers and their evaluations that have guided the formulation of health reform policies. It provides information on how to make reforms work at the local and provincial levels. The findings detailed in this volume will contribute to a global knowledge base in health care reforms.Volume 2 provides a comprehensive review and evaluation of the Japanese health care system. Japan has a long history of health care system development and provision of universal health coverage, with a mature and well-developed health care system among East Asian countries. However, due to increases in health care costs, economic stagnation and the country's rapidly aging population, Japan has undergone significant health care reform during the last two decades, both in the delivery as well as financing of health services in its hospital sector, medical technology sector and long-term care insurance. Despite these challenges and reforms, health outcomes among the Japanese population have been progressively among the best in the world. This volume shows how policy research can lead to policy analysis, implementation and assessment. It also provides valuable lessons learnt for mutual learning among other health care systems.Volume 3 offers a comprehensive review of the developments in South Korea's national health insurance system since 1989 in terms of financing, delivery systems, and outcomes. The volume analyzes the efficiency of cost and service delivery by public sectors versus private sectors. It points out areas of challenge to future Korean health care reform. Chapter authors in this volume are leading experts involved in Korean health care policy implementation.Volume 4 reviews the development and achievements of Taiwan Health Insurance since 1995. Because of its continuous reform in payment, services delivery, and pharmaceutical technology, Taiwan has been considered a model example of universal health insurance among global health systems. This volume shows the processes used to translate policy research findings into policy changes. While the health care reform in Taiwan is ongoing, the Taiwan example provides a real-world and practical understanding of health care system changes.In summary, this four-volume set makes an outstanding contribution to health care system reform and policy research, based on solid scholarly work. It also introduces policy researchers and academic communities to current debates about health systems, health financing, and universal health coverage. This reference volume is a must for anyone keen on East Asia's health care system reform dynamics and changing scene.

V.1. Health care system reform and policy research in China -- v.2. Health care system reform and policy research in Japan -- v.3. Health care system reform and policy research in South Korea -- v.4. Health care system reform and policy research in Taiwan.

The past Asian and current global fiscal crisis, coupled with the emergence of new infectious diseases like SARS and prospects of an avian flu pandemic, have thrown the vulnerabilities of healthcare systems into sharp relief. With regional trade further opening up, healthcare markets and the private sector have grown together with the proliferation of healthcare corporate entities. It is timely therefore to take stock of the trends in healthcare around the region, and to identify in a comparative perspective, the common issues and challenges that have arisen with changes in various health systems, and the manner in which national governments have met these challenges. Health and Health Systems in Southeast Asia: Policy Issues and Challenges discusses development trends in health and health systems in Southeast Asia, analyzes the regional issues and experiences related to health sector reforms, and offers lessons to inform wider policy debates of global health challenges and health systems development in other regions. More specifically, the book attempts to address the following questions: What are the global forces affecting health and development in Southeast Asia? How do regional health systems and policies respond to such developments? Are there policy implications and lessons for sustainable health systems reforms? Broad descriptive trends of health issues are compared across ASEAN within the context of very rapid demographic, epidemiological and socio-economic transitions. A selection of national health systems and programs, with interesting case-studies that offer innovative and useful lessons are featured and discussed in more depth.

For the last two decades, major Asian economies have successfully kept their economic growth momentum going. Now, as these economies are entering a new phase of economic growth, more attention is being paid to their respective states of social development, especially the provision and the expansion of social security and, in particular, health care. Academic study of the development of health care in developing countries has been for the most part neglected by the literature, and in-depth country case studies that are directly comparable on a one-to-one basis have not yet been conducted in a systematic manner. This book volume also proposes a new stance on health policy and the health care policy paradigm, one that focuses on "saving lives" from premature death, as well as illness, accidents, misery and poverty, based on the normative theory of developmental social policy (DSP). This groundbreaking book will therefore serve as a valuable reference volume for health policy, social policy and public policy experts, social development experts, health and development economists, health sociologists, social workers, government administrators as well as other medical and health professionals and academics.

This book provides updated coverage on the mental health systems in Eastern and Central Europe. Based on up-to-date data, field visits and case studies, the chapters present the financing, organization and public policy issues of Eastern and Central European countries. Solutions are also proposed to tackle major mental health problems facing the region. Mental Health in Central and Eastern Europe is a valuable reference for stakeholders in the mental health communities.

This book contains a collection of works showcasing the latest research into global health economics conducted by leading experts in the field from the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) at the University of York and other partner research institutions. Each chapter focuses upon an important topic in global health economics and a number of separate research projects. The discussion delves into health care policy evaluation; economic evaluation; econometric and other analytic methods; health equity and universal health coverage; consideration of cost-effectiveness thresholds and opportunity costs in the health sector; health system challenges and possible solutions; and others. Case study examples from a variety of low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) settings are also showcased in the final part of this volume.The research presented seeks to contribute toward increasing understanding on how health policy can be enhanced to improve the welfare of LMIC populations. It is strongly recommended for public health policymakers and analysts in low- and middle-income country settings and those affiliated to international health organizations and donor organizations.

The global health community is broadly in agreement that achievement of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) hinges upon both an escalation of the financial resources dedicated to primary health care (PHC) and a more effective use of those resources: more money, better spent. This book introduces and explicates the end-to-end resource tracking and management (RTM) framework, which includes five components that determine effective and efficient financing for PHC: resource mobilization, allocation, utilization, productivity, and targeting.In addition, this book compiles detailed results from the most recent RTM-based resource tracking efforts for PHC in selected countries. This is to demonstrate how the RTM framework can be used to bring a set of separate resource tracking efforts at different stages of flow of funds into a comprehensive process with an end-to-end 'storyline'. In order to build a functional PHC system that addresses access, quality, and equity issues, this book highlights the key (public) financing issues that researchers, technical advisors, and policy makers would need to address in addition to more resources.

The dynamism in modern Asia, especially with the current revival in Japan, stands in sharp contrast to the situation in Europe. An in-depth understanding of what is happening in contemporary Asia is key to grasping opportunities that this dynamism creates for all. This multi-volume reference work consists of three up-to-date and comprehensive volumes on Asia and the world economy. It covers the most important aspects of the world economy as they pertain to Asia in the increasingly accelerating globalization process and is a must-have for anyone keen to understand Asia and the contemporary world.The three-volume set covers the climate change challenges and solutions from the Asian perspectives, focusing on both domestic arrangements and trade-based options, and discusses scenario analyses for future climate regimes; the sustainability of growth in the Indian economy determined by analyzing the role of economic, technological and environmental factors and lastly, the growth experiences and prospects of India and China.