Medicare is a popular program in Canada that offers universal access to medically-necessary healthcare services for all Canadians through a public insurance plan in each province. In spite of its popularity, healthcare privatization has been debated, often over concerns about wait times for healthcare services. A case report focused on the 2005 Supreme Court's response to the "Chaoulli v. Quebe...

We assessed the risk of preterm birth according to the mother's place of origin in the context of a free and universal healthcare system. We analysed 75,292 newborn infants born between 2008-2011 in Alicante (Spain). The outcomes were: 1) very preterm (gestational age ≤ 32 weeks) and 2) moderate-to-late preterm (gestational age 33-37 weeks). Other variables: infant's gender, maternal age and or...

The Irish healthcare system has long been criticised for a number of perceived weaknesses, including access to healthcare based on ability-to-pay rather than need. Consequently, in 2011, a newly elected government committed to the development of a universal, single-tier system based on need and financed through Universal Health Insurance (UHI). This article draws on the national and internation...

Construindo o " pacto de gestão " no SUS: da descentralização tutelada à gestão em rede Abstract Over time, the implementation of Bra-zil's National Health System (SUS) has encountered management problems. Initially, steadily rising pressures calling for State reform and trim-mer costs affect the universal healthcare that is the purpose of this system. Conflicts then flare up between the decent...

BACKGROUND The cost-effectiveness of universal rotavirus (RV) vaccination is controversial in developed countries. As a result, RV vaccination programs do not currently exist in most European countries. Hospitalization is the main driver of RV disease costs, and prematurity, low birth weight (LBW) and underlying medical conditions have been associated with RV hospitalization and complications. ...

BACKGROUND The "right to health," including access to basic healthcare, has been recognized as a universal human right through a number of international agreements. Attempts to protect this ideal, however, have relied on states as the guarantor of rights and have subsequently ignored stateless individuals, or those lacking legal nationality in any nation-state. While a legal nationality alone i...

BACKGROUND An adequate health workforce force is central to universal health coverage and positive public health outcomes. However many African countries have critical shortages of healthcare workers, which are worse in primary healthcare. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of healthcare workers, policy makers and the community on the shortage of healthcare workers in Botswana...

Background In planning for universal health coverage, many countries have been examining their fiscal decentralization policies with the goal of increasing efficiency and equity via “additionalities.” The concept of “additionality,” when the government of a lower administrative level increases the funding allocated to a particular issue when extra funds are present, is often used in these...

The adherence to the principles of the Universal Protocol for preventing wrong site, wrong procedure and wrong person surgical or invasive procedures is a requirement for all Joint Commission accredited organizations. Fine needle aspirations are considered invasive procedures, and cytopathologists performing this procedure need to be cognizant and compliant with the requirements of this Joint C...