The September 2024 issue of the Inquiry journal features a study co-authored by Prof. Dr Péter Gaál, president of the HMA (Hungarian Health Management Association), and Dr. Tamás Palicz, a founding member of HMA.
This international research examines health care providers payment reforms implemented since 2010 in nine Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The study analyzes 27 payment reforms focusing primarily on hospitals and primary health care. It identifies 14 key factors influencing these reforms, categorized into four dimensions: context, content, process, and actors. Factors include the availability of clear performance indicators, use of clinical guidelines, favorability of the provider payment system, and tariff valuation. The study emphasizes that a reform’s content and manner of implementation (process) are crucial, and stakeholder involvement and their capacities can influence every dimension of the reform cycle.
The research highlights that careful preparation of the reform process, such as pilot projects and regular evaluations, can significantly contribute to successful implementation. It underscores the importance of international learning and experience exchange, as the analyzed countries share many common challenges and solutions. The study also points out that, given the complex nature of reforms, focusing on a single dimension is insufficient; a comprehensive approach is essential for success.
The full article is available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00469580241287626