Creating markets in hospital care : the adoption of developed country health sector reforms by developing countries : is it appropriate?

Abstract

Hospitals have been relatively neglected in the debate over health system development in low-income countries, perhaps because of the recognition that those services most effective in improving population health in developing countries are better delivered in a different setting. However, the efficiency of its hospital sector is vital to the overall effciency of any health system, for several reasons: the hospital sector's high resource consumption implies high gains from increased efficiency; functional problems at the hospital level can create problems lower down the system; the functioning of hospitals has become symbolic of the functioning of the overall system: hospital efficiency is important for public confidence.