Involving local people in commissioning health care: a role for consumer health information services

Role of Consumer Information in Today's Health Care System

This overview discusses articles published in this issue of the Health Care Financing Review, entitled "Consumer Information in a Changing Health Care System." The overview describes several trends promoting more active consumer participation in health decisions and how consumer information facilitates that role. Major issues in developing consumer information are presented, stressing how orien...

Innovation in Rehabilitation Services and Clinical Programs for Health Care

Rehabilitation program is a critical piece of clinical care strategy in order to accelerate healing and improve quality of life to the fullest extent possible. An innovated program should have 3 inspiring concepts: Seek inspire and Advance. Seeking and evaluating is a breakthrough technology, innovative methodology and emerging trend in the healthcare industry. The program should inspire clinic...

Strategies to improve consumer health information services.

Consumer health information is important in two respects. It helps individuals improve their own health and creates pressure on the healthcare system to produce higher quality care. Initiatives to strengthen consumer health information services are underway in many public and private-sector organizations nationwide. This paper describes some trends in the field and opportunities to spur further...

Trends in Health Care Commissioning

In recent years there have been marked changes in organisational structures and budgetary arrangements in the English NHS, potentially altering the relationships between purchasers (primary care organisations (PCOs) and general practices) and providers. Using data on elective hospital admissions from 1997/98 to 2002/03 we find that commissioning has become significantly more concentrated at PCO...

Effective Commissioning of Sexual Health and HIV Services A Sexual Health and HIV Commissioning Toolkit for Primary Care Trusts and Local Authorities