NSG 7015 Providing Nursing Care in a Healthcare Rationing System
NSG 7015 Providing Nursing Care in a Healthcare Rationing System
The World Health Organization defined health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (1). Accordingly, governments should establish robust health systems to promote the health status of their nations. Every human being has the right to have access to the highest attainable standards of health without distinction of gender, race, religion, belief, income, or social class (1). Providing high quality, accessible, and affordable health services should be the main goal of health care organizations (2).
NSG 7015 Providing Nursing Care in a Healthcare Rationing System
Health care organizations are facing several challenges such as unlimited demands, increasing costs, and resource shortage (3–4). During the last 15 years, the rate of health expenditure growth exceeded the rate of economic growth (5). However, money, especially in developing countries, is disproportionately spent on those health services that have a low impact on people’s health, and mainly benefit the rich (6). Inefficiencies in the delivery of health care services, variable providers’ payment systems, supplier induced demand, and inappropriate use of expensive technologies are the main causes of escalating health care costs (7). For instance, in some OECD countries, and the US, new advanced technologies with less marginal effectiveness were sometimes used instead of alternative and less expensive existing procedures (8). Redirecting even a fraction of that money could expand useful health care coverage, enhance quality of care, and improve patient satisfaction.
NSG 7015 Providing Nursing Care in a Healthcare Rationing System
It is highly important to get the best value for money due to the shortage of health care resources. Thus, health care policy makers and administrators have to apply strategies like priority setting and rationing and should invest more in affordable, effective, patient-centered, and safe services that deliver the best health outcomes (9). Particularly, the situation worsens for health care organizations during the economic recession and public spending cuts.
The World Health Organization (2013) highlighted the importance of rationing as a prerequisite to universal health coverage (10). Despite the importance of rationing in health systems for universal health coverage, there is little consensus about its meaning and applied mechanisms in the literature. This study aimed at critically examining the concept and theory of health services rationing to contribute to a better understanding of its concept and related policy issues by addressing some key questions such as “what is health services rationing?”, and “why, how and by whom are health services rationed?” We also provided a brief overview of the development of rationing concept in health sector and some of its policy implications.