Getting Health Reform Right: A Guide to Improving Performance and Equity

This book meets a critical need felt by analysts, researchers, and officials struggling with health-sector reform around the world. The authors synthesize diverse analytical methods and international experience to provide practical guidance on how to improve the performance of health-care delivery systems. Drawing on economic analysis, political strategy, managerial considerations, and ethical concerns, the text guides the reader through a step-by-step process for defining problems, diagnosing causes, devising solutions, and assuring adoption and implementation. With a focus on the health-care system as a means to an end-and improving the well-being of a nation's population-the book helps the reader develop effective strategies tailored to each nation's individual situation. Particular attention is paid to issues of equity and the difficulties confronted by disadvantaged populations. Book jacket.

Marc J. Roberts, Ph.D., is Professor of Political Economy and Health Policy in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard School of Public Health, William Hsiao, Ph.D., is K. T. Li Professor of Economics in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard School of Public Health, and Director of the Program in Healthcare Financing Peter Berman, Ph.D., is Professor of Population and International Health Economics in the Department of Population and International Health at Harvard School of Public Health, and Director of the International Health Systems Program Michael R. Reich, Ph.D., is Taro Takemi Professor of International Health in the Department of Population and International Health at Harvard School of Public Health and Director of the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies