HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: ISSUES OF SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

摘要

Sustainability of healthcare system is a critical issue, nowadays and in the next future. Most researches and analysis focus on efficiency and cost-containment of health delivery organizations, hospitals, ambulatories and outpatient delivery organizations. After an analysis of trends in public and private healthcare expenditure, the paper discusses the limitations of different policies. It argues that privatization cannot be a solution because of health's nature as a human right that market rules and profit maximization/optimization cannot guarantee. The challenge requires a proper mix of public and private contribution, both on delivery and financing side. The paper point out that usually the sustainability challenge is discussed with regard to the economic dimension, while it implies also the social and political aspects. The conclusive remark is that healthcare systems are under stress, not because they' are expensive but because scientific and technological progress increases the opportunities for a larger part of the population.