Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-93). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: James Whyte IV, Florida State University, School of Nursing. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 30, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 52 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Increases in the number of users of the medical delivery system, along with an ever-increasing variety of available services, makes it desirable to identify those individuals who will benefit most from its services. With the growing reliance on third party payment, economic limitations no longer effectively restrict the use of the system's resources to those individuals who are truly ill. A framework is needed whereby individuals who are medically ill can be separated from those whose needs might be more effectively addressed by other services. A variety of means, including locus of control, has been used in the attempt to make such discriminations. In conclusion, it was observed that the low magnitude of obtained relationships presents opportunities for future research, but disallows meaningful prediction at the present time.

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / In the Western Cape, South Africa, despite the prospective benefits that e-Health information systems (e-Health IS) offer to support the healthcare sector; there are limitations in terms of usability, functionality and peculiar socio-technical factors. Thus, healthcare professionals do not make the most use of the implemented e-Health IS. Unfortunately, explanations remain tentative and unclear, yet non-usage of the e-Health IS defeats the objectives of its adoption, in the sense that the plan to improve and deliver quality healthcare service in the public sector may not be achieved as envisaged. The aim of the study was to acquire explanations to the causes of the limitations regarding the adoption and, particularly, the use (or non-use) of e-Health IS by clinical staff in the public healthcare institutions in South Africa. The choice of research approach was informed by the research problem, objectives, and the main research question. By the reasons of the subjective and socio-technical nature of the phenomenon, a deductive approach was adopted for this investigation. The nominalist ontology and interpretivist epistemology positions were taken by the researcher as a lens to conduct this research; which informed a qualitative methodology for this investigation. The purposive sampling technique was used to identify the appropriate participants from different hospital levels consisting of Hospital Administrative staff, and Clinical staff (Clinicians and Nurses) of relative experiences in their clinical units. Subsequently, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and content analysis technique were used to contextualize, simplify, and analysis the text data transcripts. The findings indicate that healthcare professionals have a high level of awareness and acceptance to use implemented e-Health IS. There are positive perceptions on the expected outcomes, that e-Health IS would improve processes and enhance healthcare services delivery in the public healthcare sector. Also, findings indicate that social influence plays a vital role especially on the willingness of individuals (or groups); as the clinical staff are influenced by their colleagues despite the facilitating conditions provided by the hospital management. Further, findings indicate that it is somewhat problematic to maintain balance in running a parallel paper-electronic system in the hospital environment. Hence, the core factors that influence successful adoption and use of e-Health IS include; willingness of an individual (or group) to accept and use a technology, the performance expectancy, social influence among professionals in the healthcare scenery and adequate facilitating conditions. In summary, it is recommended that there should be an extensive engagement inclusive of all respective stakeholders involved in the adoption processes. This would ensure that e-Health IS are designed to meet both practical organizational and clinical needs (and expectations) with respect to the hospital contexts.

M.Comm. / Health care is recognised as a basic human right. The current position of private health care in South Africa is of great concern. Not only is health care almost unaffordable but the future quality of health care also causes great concern. With this in mind it is obvious that alternatives to conventional medical aids and health insurance are necessary to guarantee the continued availability of quality medical care to the South African public. Most people would agree that our private sector health care system is characterised by a depressing history of inadequate planning, control and management. It is for this reason that amendments to the Medical Schemes Act were considered necessary. Certain of these amendments will extend the role played by medical schemes in the management of health care resources. This will result in the traditional boundaries and relationships between the public, health professionals and health care facilities, and the financiers in our private health care system being altered. A new philosophy will evolve based on open and participative practices, as well as increased coordination, integration and cooperation (Veliotes et al, 1993: 12). Internationally, the health care objectives of most countries are to provide access to highquality care for all the people, and to provide this care efficiently and effectively. In the last decade the task of achieving these potentially conflicting objectives has become more difficult. At present, private health care is funded by medical schemes, health insurance companies, employers and individuals themselves. Neither medical aids nor health insurance companies are able to contain the rise in health care cost, which has led to the emergence of a new method of finding, namely Managed Health Care (MHC). Health care cost has accelerated at a rate far above the consumer price index(CPI). Rising health care costs in the private sector have been blamed on structural inefficiencies in the medical aid system. While patients have little incentive to minimise care expenditure, providers have an incentive to overuse the system.

No description available.

M.Cur. / Quality health service delivery is a necessity in any health care service and is the responsibility of the management, but it is often not accomplished due to a variety of reasons. The most important determinant is the personnel of the health care service and their level of motivation to provide quality service. The aim of this study was the describing of motivation guidelines for the delivery of quality health service. The study was qualitative and contextual. The research strategy was explorative and descriptive. The study is based on the Botes research model and the Nursing Theory of Wholeness. Several measurements were taken to increase credibility. It is regarded as a prerequisite to explore, describe and implement a quality improvement programme for the specific health service, before motivation guidelines could be described for quality health service delivery. The quality improvement programme was based on literature, with recognition of the context of the health service. The determinants of quality health service delivery were discussed as well as the aim, reasons, prerequisites, contents and principles of the quality improvement programme and the quality improvement process. The realisation of the quality improvement programme was also discussed. The exploring, description and implementation of the quality improvement programme in the health care service is followed by the exploring and describing of factors which motivate and/or demotivate personnel to deliver quality health care service, by means of naive sketches obtained from open questionnaires of two samples. It was verified for accuracy during a feedback interview. The results are used to describe motivation guidelines which is confirmed by literature.

M.Com. (Business Management) / It is a well established fact that the majority of South Africans do not have access to health of a satisfactory quality, and that many have almost no effective access to health care at all. Health care in South Africa today can be characterised as being both inequitable and inefficient. It is inequitable as particular groups enjoy privileged access to health care, whereas others do not have any access at all and it is inefficient because of the existence of over treatment in the private sector and fragmentation in the public sector (Picard, 1992:1). In 1987, according to the best calculations available, South Africa spent R9,2 billion on health care. This figure amounted to 5,8 percent of the Gross National Product (GNP) for that year (De Beer & Broornberg, 1990:1). The private sector accounted for 44 percent of expenditure that year, yet supplied health care to 20 percent of the South African population. On the other hand, the remaining 80 percent of the population had to rely on the public sector where just 56 percent of the total expenditure was located (De Beer & Broornberg, 1990:1). It is clear that the pUblic sector is unable to provide adequate health care for 80 percent of the population on the money presently available. This inability to provide services in the public sector has arisen from fragmentation and duplication of facilities, excessively bureaucratic management structures, undue emphasis on expensive curative care, high technology tests and interventions at the expense of providing basic health services. In addition to this, the public sector has been significantly underfunded. This can be supported by the above figures that show that 3,3 percent of the GNP is spent on public sector health care and this figure is well below the 5 percent target set by the World Health Organisation as a minimum standard ,(De Beer & Broomberg, 1990:1).

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Master in Technology: Marketing, Technikon Natal, 2003. / Managed care is defined by Chetty (1999: 1) as "the practice of evidence based medicine with an approach to managing both the quality and cost of medical care". Managed care was introduced into South Africa in the last decade due to increasing cost of healthcare. All forms of managed care represent attempts to control costs by modifying the behaviour of general practitioners. / M

M.Comm. / Chapter 2 Chapter 2 researches the literature with regard to the evolvement of health care delivery in the USA and specifically the effect that the development and implementation has had on managed care. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 briefly describes the process of management and the components of strategic management. It also mentions the evolvement of management style proposed by Hickman. Finally it sets out in a graphical format the categories and "levels" into which health care can be divided and delivered. It is suggested that these are the issues to consider when assessing a medical benefit fund. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 presents the results and the findings of the various components and factors that impacted upon the external and internal analysis of the fund. The framework used to analyse the fund for strategic management are those proposed by De Bruyn, Kruger and McKinsey. Comments are made about the extent to which each component of strategic management is being applied within Steelmed based upon the evidence assimilated from the study. Finally the financial statements and membership numbers are used to evaluate how successful Steelmed has been. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 highlights the changes to take place if fourth wave strategic management is to be implemented and makes recommendations about the need for an on-going study to measure the effect this will have.