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The state may choose to encourage such providers to locate in specific regions, to cater to poor clients, or to provide specific healthcare tasks or services by offering tax incentives, free training, access to public facilities, etc.
Franchising (Kenya, Pakistan, Philippines)
A private firm (franchisee) acquires a license from and shares profits with
franchisor (a domestic, or, more often, foreign firm). The franchisee uses brand name, trademarks, marketing materials, management techniques, designs, media access, access to approved suppliers at bulk (discounted) prices, and training offered by franchisor. The franchisor monitors performance and quality of service of franchisee.
This model works mainly in preventive care, family planning, and reproductive health.
The World Bank ("Public Policy for Private Sector", Note number 263, dated June 2003):
"Franchisers in health sector, often supported by international donors and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), establish protocols, provide training for health workers, certify those who qualify, monitor performance of franchisees, and provide bulk procurement and brand marketing."
Hospital Management
(See separate document)
The law should allow:
I. Colocation of private wing within or beside public hospital
II. Outsourcing non-clinical support services
III. Outsourcing clinical support services
IV. Outsourcing specialized clinical services
V. Private management of public hospital
VI. Private financing, construction, and leaseback of new public hospital
VII. Private financing, construction, and operation of new public hospital
VIII. Sale of public hospital as going concern
IX. Sale of public hospital for alternative use
X. Consolidation of redundant public healthcare facilities by merging them or closing down some of them
Private Sector Healthcare Monitoring and Regulatory Agency
The law should provide for establishment of an agency to monitor and regulate private sector healthcare provision: compliance with contracts, servicing indigent and uninsured, imposing sanctions or "step-in" rights, and dispute resolution.
Voucher System (Nicaragua)
The law should allow for experimenting with novel payment and resource allocation techniques, such as vouchers distributed to needy populations and guaranteeing free basic service packages provided by a limited list of clinics or other healthcare facilities. Such schemes can also be managed by private sector.
Medical Savings Accounts (Singapore)
Contributions by employers and employees accumulate over time and are used, tax-free, to pay for hospital expenses in public and private hospitals, national supplementary health insurance premiums, special procedures (including abroad), and expensive outpatient treatment and drugs for saver and his immediate family.
Consumer Organizations
The law should encourage formation of consumer organizations in healthcare field (such as buyers' clubs or Health Maintenance Organizations-HMOs).
These groups will shop and tender for best, most reasonably priced, and most efficient healthcare services for their members.
Devolution
Responsibility for provision of some types of healthcare services and allocation of inputs should be devolved to local authorities (municipalities).
Performance and Payments
The central authority should impose minimum performance targets in performance agreements on all healthcare facilities, both public and private. All payments - wages included - will be tied to these targets and their attainment.
Payment options should include:
Capitation - A fixed fee for a list of services to be provided to a single patient in a given period, payable even if services were not consumed, adjusted for patients' demographic data and reimbursement for fee-for-service items.
Diagnosis Related Group (DRG)
Resource-based Relative Value (RBRV)
Sam Vaknin ( http://samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East. He served as a columnist for Central Europe Review, PopMatters, and eBookWeb , and Bellaonline, and as a United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent. He is the the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.
