Health Policy Developments 10. Focus on Long-term Care, Sickness Funds as Payers and Players, Improving Quality of Care

The anniversary edition of Health Policy Developments, volume 10, again deals with a variety of health policy themes – from new roles for sickness funds and new forms of care to quality assurance and pharmaceutical policy. This time, the various effects of demographic change on health care form a particular focus. The growing proportion of older people in the overall population brings with it a range of challenges in terms of health policy.

In any society with an aging population the requirements for long-term care increase regarding quantity as well as quality of care. Furthermore, the growing incidence of chronic conditions and multimorbidity affecting our 'graying' population has indirect effects on the care landscape. New forms of care aimed at improved care coordination are often the result of considerations on how to improve care for the chronically ill. And since incidence rates of cancer increase with increasing life expectancy, cancer is becoming an area of focus for the medical profession and health policy makers worldwide.

The International Network Health Policy and Reform aims to narrow the gap between health services research and health policy. Network partners are research institutions and health policy experts from 20 industrialized countries.