The role of private non-profit healthcare organizations in NHS systems: Implications for the Portuguese hospital devolution program

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2017

Authors

Álvaro Almeida (Author) FEP

Journal

Title: Health Policy

Vol. 121

Pages: 699-707

ISSN: 0168-8510

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 10 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Q-J0E

DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.03.016

Abstract (EN): The national health services (NHS) of England, Portugal, Finland and other single-payer universalist systems financed by general taxation, are based on the theoretical principle of an integrated public sector payer-provider. However, in practice one can find different forms of participation of non-public healthcare providers in those NHS, including private for profit providers, but also third sector non-profit organizations (NPO). This paper reviews the role of non-public non-profit healthcare organizations in NHS systems. By crossing a literature review on privatization of national health services with a literature review on the comparative performance of non-profit and for-profit healthcare organizations, this paper assesses the impact of contracting private non-profit healthcare organizations on the efficiency, quality and responsiveness of services, in public universal health care systems. The results of the review were then compared to the existing evidence on the Portuguese hospital devolution to NPO program. The evidence in this paper suggests that NHS health system reforms that transfer some public-sector hospitals to NPO should deliver improvements to the health system with minimal downside risks. The very limited existing evidence on the Portuguese hospital devolution program suggests it improved efficiency and access, without sacrificing quality.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9