Purchasing to improve health systems performance

Purchasing is championed as a key to improving health systems performance. However, despite the central role the purchasing function plays in many health system reforms, there is very little evidence about its development or its real impact on societal objectives.

This book addresses this gap and provides:

- A comprehensive account of the theory and practice of purchasing for health services across Europe;

- An up-to-date analysis of the evidence on different approaches to purchasing;

- Support for policy makers and practitioners as they formulate purchasing strategies so that they can increase effectiveness and improve performance in their own national context;

- An assessment of the intersecting roles of citizens, the government and the providers