Refugees who have fled from the ongoing civil war in Syria that arrived in Germany often develop post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The aim of this study was to determine health care services utilization (HCSU), health care costs and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) of Syrian refugees with mild to moderate PTSS without current treatment in Germany. The study was based on the baseline sample of a randomized controlled trial of a self-help app for Syrian refugees with PTSS (n = 133). HCSU and HrQoL based on the EQ-5D-5L and its visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) were assessed with standardized interviews. Annual health care costs were calculated using extrapolated four-month HCSU and standardized unit costs. Associations between health care costs, HrQoL and PTSS severity were examined using generalized linear models. Overall, 85.0% of the sample utilized health care services within four months. The mean total annual health care costs were EUR 1920 per person. PTSS severity was not associated with health care costs. The EQ-5D-5L index score and the EQ-VAS score was 0.82 and 73.6, respectively. For Syrian refugees with higher PTSS severity, the EQ-5D-5L index score was lower (−0.17; p < 0.001). The HCSU and the resulting health care costs of Syrian refugees with mild to moderate PTSS without current treatment are low and those with a higher PTSS severity had a lower HrQoL.

This study investigated the attitudes and perceptions of nurse managers regarding cost containment issues in selected public hospitals in the Port Elizabeth metropole of the Eastern Cape. Four hospitals participated in the study, and 211 nurse managers completed questionnaires. The results obtained from the participants&#8217; responses indicated that: &#10022; Nurse managers are ill-prepared for many responsibilities regarding cost containment, and need appropriate orientation and preparation both during their initial formal, and during their nurse management and in service training in order to fulfil their &#8220;financial&#8221; or cost containment role more effectively. &#10022; Nurse managers perceived the relationship between the productivity of staff and cost containment positively, but were reportedly unable to &#8226; prevent nurses from leaving their points of duty &#8226; curb the rate of absenteeism among nurses &#8226; reduce the number of resignations &#10022; Nurse managers suggested that more effective hospital cost containment efforts should ensure that &#8226; effective security checks are performed to curb losses of stock and equipment &#8226; more public telephones are installed in hospitals &#8226; stricter controls regarding wheelchairs are implemented The rationalisation of staff and services, as well as specialised equipment among the four public hospitals could enhance these hospitals&#8217; cost containment results. However, this would necessitate reorganising these hospitals&#8217; services at provincial level. The nurse managers required more knowledge about hospitals&#8217; financial management and cost containment issues. Guidelines for such a course were developed addressing: analysis of monthly variance reports; budgeting for manpower; balance statement; calculations for the supplies and expenses budget; income statements; the hospital&#8217;s budgetary cycle; break-even analysis; analysis of cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis. / ADVANCED NURSING SCIENCES / D.Litt. et Phil.

Contexte: La douleur chronique non cancéreuse (DCNC) génère des retombées économiques et sociétales importantes. L’identification des patients à risque élevé d’être de grands utilisateurs de soins de santé pourrait être d’une grande utilité; en améliorant leur prise en charge, il serait éventuellement possible de réduire leurs coûts de soins de santé. Objectif: Identifier les facteurs prédictifs bio-psycho-sociaux des grands utilisateurs de soins de santé chez les patients souffrant de DCNC et suivis en soins de première ligne. Méthodologie: Des patients souffrant d’une DCNC modérée à sévère depuis au moins six mois et bénéficiant une ordonnance valide d’un analgésique par un médecin de famille ont été recrutés dans des pharmacies communautaires du territoire du Réseau universitaire intégré de santé (RUIS), de l’Université de Montréal entre Mai 2009 et Janvier 2010. Ce dernier est composé des six régions suivantes : Mauricie et centre du Québec, Laval, Montréal, Laurentides, Lanaudière et Montérégie. Les caractéristiques bio-psycho-sociales des participants ont été documentées à l’aide d’un questionnaire écrit et d’une entrevue téléphonique au moment du recrutement. Les coûts directs de santé ont été estimés à partir des soins et des services de santé reçus au cours de l’année précédant et suivant le recrutement et identifiés à partir de la base de données de la Régie d’Assurance maladie du Québec, RAMQ (assureur publique de la province du Québec). Ces coûts incluaient ceux des hospitalisations reliées à la douleur, des visites à l’urgence, des soins ambulatoires et de la médication prescrite pour le traitement de la douleur et la gestion des effets secondaires des analgésiques. Les grands utilisateurs des soins de santé ont été définis comme étant ceux faisant partie du quartile le plus élevé de coûts directs annuels en soins de santé dans l’année suivant le recrutement. Des modèles de régression logistique multivariés et le critère d’information d’Akaike ont permis d’identifier les facteurs prédictifs des coûts directs élevés en soins de santé. Résultats: Le coût direct annuel médian en soins de santé chez les grands utilisateurs de soins de santé (63 patients) était de 7 627 CAD et de 1 554 CAD pour les utilisateurs réguliers (188 patients). Le modèle prédictif final du risque d’être un grand utilisateur de soins de santé incluait la douleur localisée au niveau des membres inférieurs (OR = 3,03; 95% CI: 1,20 - 7,65), la réduction de la capacité fonctionnelle liée à la douleur (OR = 1,24; 95% CI: 1,03 - 1,48) et les coûts directs en soins de santé dans l’année précédente (OR = 17,67; 95% CI: 7,90 - 39,48). Les variables «sexe», «comorbidité», «dépression» et «attitude envers la guérison médicale» étaient également retenues dans le modèle prédictif final. Conclusion: Les patients souffrant d’une DCNC au niveau des membres inférieurs et présentant une détérioration de la capacité fonctionnelle liée à la douleur comptent parmi ceux les plus susceptibles d’être de grands utilisateurs de soins et de services. Le coût direct en soins de santé dans l’année précédente était également un facteur prédictif important. Améliorer la prise en charge chez cette catégorie de patients pourrait influencer favorablement leur état de santé et par conséquent les coûts assumés par le système de santé. / Background: Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has major social and economic impacts. Identifying patients at risk of being heavy health care users could be very useful; therefore, by improving their care direct health care costs could eventually be reduced. Purpose: To identify bio-psycho-social factors predicting the risk of being a heavy health care user among primary care CNCP patients. Methods: Patients reporting moderate to severe CNCP for at least 6 months with an active analgesic prescription from a primary care physician were recruited in community pharmacies on the territory of the Réseau universitaire integré de santé (RUIS), of the Université de Montréal between May 2009 and January 2010. The latter comprises six areas: Mauricie and centre du Quebec, Laval, Montreal, the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Montérégie. Upon recruitment, their bio-psycho-social characteristics were documented through self-administered and telephone questionnaires. The direct health costs were estimated for the health care services provided to patients in the year preceding and following recruitment using the database of the Régie d’Assurance maladie du Québec, RAMQ (Quebec province public health care insurance). These costs took into account the pain-related hospitalizations, emergency room visits, ambulatory care, and medication prescribed for pain treatment and drug side effects Heavy health care users were defined as those in the highest annual direct health care costs quartile in the year following recruitment. Logistic multivariate regression models using the Akaike information criterion were developed in order to identify the predictors of heavy health care use. Results: The median annual direct health care cost incurred by heavy health care users (n = 63) was CAD 7,627, compared to CAD 1,554 for the standard health care users (n = 188). The final predictive model of the risks of being a heavy health care user included pain located in the lower body (Odds ratio (OR) = 3.03; 95% CI: 1.20 - 7.65), pain-related disability (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.48), and health care costs in the previous year (OR = 17.67; 95% CI: 7.90 - 39.48). Other retained variables were sex, comorbidity, depression level, and patients’ attitudes towards medical pain cure. Conclusion: Patients suffering from CNCP in the lower body and having a greater impact of pain on their daily functioning were more likely to be heavy health care and services users. Previous year annual direct cost was also a significant predictor. Improving pain management in this clientele of patients may improve their health and eventually reduce their health care cost to the health care system.

INTRODUÇÃO: A atenção primária à saúde (APS), porta de entrada dos sistemas de saúde organizados, é o nível de atenção de maior contato com as populações e onde as pessoas são atendidas como sujeitos sociais e emocionais com projetos existenciais, sofrimentos e riscos para a saúde e não apenas como portadores de doenças classificáveis. Esse é o modelo da integralidade, opção adotada pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) brasileiro, desde sua criação oficial em 1990, para reorientação da assistência, em busca da consolidação dos seus princípios. Compatível com esses princípios estruturadores, a Medicina de Família e Comunidade (MFC) é a especialidade que atua na APS. Mas, os níveis de atenção secundária e terciária, que embasam seus conceitos no modelo explicativo biomédico, é que determinam discurso e prática da educação médica e delineiam a forma de registrar os eventos clínicos e de codificar os agravos. Essa forma de registrar e codificar revela-se insuficiente para abarcar o universo complexo de achados no cotidiano do atendimento à maioria das pessoas que acorrem à APS. Assim, este trabalho descreve um software de registro essencial, compatível com os princípios do SUS, com os atributos da APS e com as características estruturadoras da MFC, para os apontamentos do encontro terapêutico que ocorre na atenção primária à saúde. Propõe a integração do método Weed, de história clínica orientada ao problema, com a automatização das indicações de diretrizes clínicas, trazendo como exemplo o manejo e monitoramento dos principais fatores de risco cardiovascular. Mostra como a utilização de um protótipo funcional desse software impactou a quantidade e os custos de procedimentos (exames laboratoriais, consultas com especialistas, procedimentos hospitalares) realizados durante um ano de observação. MÉTODOS: Em um ambulatório de APS, foram observados dois grupos de pacientes com idade maior que 20 anos, atendidos durante o ano de 2003. O grupo intervenção foi atendido por uma equipe de saúde cujo médico de família e comunidade utilizou o software do registro clínico essencial. O grupo controle constou dos pacientes atendidos pelas equipes de saúde cujos médicos de família e comunidade não utilizaram o software. Ao final de um ano de observação, foram comparadas as diferenças entre os dois grupos, quanto ao perfil de indicação e utilização de recursos fora do ambulatório em foco. RESULTADOS: O número de pacientes sob observação foi de 4.193 (616 (15%) no grupo intervenção; 3.577 (85%) no grupo controle). Desses, 3280 realizaram 80.665 procedimentos. A média do número desses eventos foi de 29,28 e 22,00 eventos para cada paciente, nos grupos intervenção e controle, respectivamente (p <0,001). Da mesma forma, o custo médio por paciente/ano caiu de R$1.130,34 para R$611,51 (p < 0,001), e, a média do custo por procedimento, de R$25,96 para R$19,85 (p < 0,001), para os grupos controle e intervenção, respectivamente. CONCLUSÕES: A utilização de um registro clínico essencial que seja capaz de abrigar e dar suporte ao ritual terapêutico que de fato ocorre na APS, integrado a guidelines que automatizem manejo e monitoramento de fatores de risco cardiovascular, reduz significativamente o número e os custos com procedimentos realizados por pacientes atendidos na APS. / INTRODUCTION: Primary healthcare is the major portal of entry into organized health systems. In this setting attention to given not only to analysis of health risks characterized by classified diseases but also to social and emotional factors. The Brazilian public healthcare system (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) has utilized this integrated model since its inception in 1990. Family and community medicine is the specialty of Primary Care and is compatible with these principles. However, clinical education, often based on a dominance of clinical secondary and tertiary care with a strong bias towards experimental biomedicine has a strong influence over the manner in which clinical events are registered and coded. These factors can create limitations to data registry and is often inadequate to encompass the complex environment which is encountered in the day to day experience of the majority of patients encountered in Primary Care. The present work is based on the integration of the method of Weed of problem oriented medical record taking with an automation of clinical records and cardiovascular risk factor monitoring and management. We describe the results of the use of a software program for improving the essential clinical patient record during patient visits , including guided cardiovascular risk management surveillance. The software program is compatible with the principles of SUS, the Primary Care setting and the philosophy of Family Medicine. METHODS: In 2003, in an Primary Health Care ambulatory setting outpatients, 20 years or older, were either treated by care using the automated patient record including the riskfactor surveillance software (Intervention group, n= 616) or were treated following the standard practice protocols of their family physicians (Control Group, n=3577). At the end of the year patient outcomes and overall patient care costs were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The average of the number of events (auxiliary tests, specialized referrals, and hospital admissions) decreased from 29.28 events per patient/year in the control group to 22.00 events per patient/year (p < 0,001) in the intervention group. Similarly the cost per patient/year decreased from R$1,130.34 to R$611.51 (p < 0.001), and the average cost per procedure decreased from R$25.96 to R$19.85 (p < 0.001) for the control and intervention groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that the use of an primary care automated clinical patient record, including a software program to automate cardiovascular risk factors guidelines, can decrease the number and cost of complementary exams, referrals to specialists, and hospital procedures arising from primary care consultations.

INTRODUÇÃO: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo elaborar análise custoefetividade do esquema de quimiorradioterapia com cisplatina (estratégia 2) comparado ao tratamento radioterápico (estratégia 1) para pacientes portadores de CECCP localmente avançado não elegíveis para tratamento cirúrgico. MÉTODOS: levantamos dados prospectivos de 33 pacientes na estratégia 2 e dados retrospectivos de 29 pacientes tratados no HC-FMUSP e Hospital A.C. Camargo, (estratégia 1). Consideramos a tabela de reembolso do Sistema Único de Saúde (perspectiva SUS) e custos do HC-FMUSP com honorários profissionais, medicamentos, demais insumos e depreciação de equipamentos (perspectiva Institucional). A medida de efetividade foi 1 ano de vida ganho, livre de progressão da doença (SLPD). Calculamos a Razão Incremental Custo Efetividade (RICE). RESULTADOS: 31% dos pacientes da estratégia 1 e 58% na estratégia 2) tiveram 1 ano de SLPD. Na perspectiva SUS o custo total por paciente na estratégia 1 foi de R$ 2.798,52 e R$ 4.938,11 na estratégia 2. Na perspectiva institucional os custos foram R$ 26.798,52 e R$ 5.040,79, respectivamente. A RICE na perspectiva SUS foi de R$ 7.924,00 reais por ano de vida ganho e R$ 8.912,71 na perspectiva institucional. CONCLUSÃO: nas duas perspectivas a estratégia 2 se mostrou custo-efetiva, sendo o custo incremental considerado aceitável, segundo diretrizes do Banco Mundial. / INTRODUCTION: The present study aims to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing chemoradiotherapy with cisplatine and radiotherapy alone, to treat inoperative advanced head and neck cancer. METHODS: we collected data from 29 patients in a prospective study on chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin, conducted at Hospital das Clínicas HC-FMUSP,(strategy 2). For strategy 1, we collected retrospective data of 33 patients treated with radiotherapy at HC-FMUSP and Hospital A.C. Camargo. We considered only direct costs (personnel, drugs, material and equipment depreciation). We considered, the National Health Service (SUS) reimbursement parameters as the National Security System perspective, and HC-FMUSP costs as the institutional perspectives. We measured effectiveness as one year of diseasefree life gained. We collected costs and effectiveness data and calculated the cost-effectiveness incremental ratio ICER, which expresses additional costs per life year gained, in strategy 2, compared to strategy 1 RESULTS: 31.0% of the patients treated in strategy 1 lived more than 12 months, without disease progression, compared to 58.0% of the patients in strategy 2. According to SUS perspective, the total cost per patient in strategy 1) is R$ 2.798,52 and R$ 4.938,11 in strategy 2. Considering the institutional perspective, total costs are R$ 2.634,36, and R$ 5.040,79 respectively. In SUS perspective, the ICER ratio of strategy 2 compared to 1 is R$ 7.924,00 per lifes year gained. In the institutional perspective, ICER is R$ 8.912,71. We conducted a one way sensitivity analysis to verify our calculations. CONCLUSION: Chemoradioterapy with cisplatin proved more cost-effective than radiotherapy. Using the World Bank guidelines, wich considers the countries GDP per capita an acceptable cost per additional year of life (R$ 12.491,00 in 2006), the incremental cost of both is acceptable.

INTRODUÇÃO: A atenção primária à saúde (APS), porta de entrada dos sistemas de saúde organizados, é o nível de atenção de maior contato com as populações e onde as pessoas são atendidas como sujeitos sociais e emocionais com projetos existenciais, sofrimentos e riscos para a saúde e não apenas como portadores de doenças classificáveis. Esse é o modelo da integralidade, opção adotada pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) brasileiro, desde sua criação oficial em 1990, para reorientação da assistência, em busca da consolidação dos seus princípios. Compatível com esses princípios estruturadores, a Medicina de Família e Comunidade (MFC) é a especialidade que atua na APS. Mas, os níveis de atenção secundária e terciária, que embasam seus conceitos no modelo explicativo biomédico, é que determinam discurso e prática da educação médica e delineiam a forma de registrar os eventos clínicos e de codificar os agravos. Essa forma de registrar e codificar revela-se insuficiente para abarcar o universo complexo de achados no cotidiano do atendimento à maioria das pessoas que acorrem à APS. Assim, este trabalho descreve um software de registro essencial, compatível com os princípios do SUS, com os atributos da APS e com as características estruturadoras da MFC, para os apontamentos do encontro terapêutico que ocorre na atenção primária à saúde. Propõe a integração do método Weed, de história clínica orientada ao problema, com a automatização das indicações de diretrizes clínicas, trazendo como exemplo o manejo e monitoramento dos principais fatores de risco cardiovascular. Mostra como a utilização de um protótipo funcional desse software impactou a quantidade e os custos de procedimentos (exames laboratoriais, consultas com especialistas, procedimentos hospitalares) realizados durante um ano de observação. MÉTODOS: Em um ambulatório de APS, foram observados dois grupos de pacientes com idade maior que 20 anos, atendidos durante o ano de 2003. O grupo intervenção foi atendido por uma equipe de saúde cujo médico de família e comunidade utilizou o software do registro clínico essencial. O grupo controle constou dos pacientes atendidos pelas equipes de saúde cujos médicos de família e comunidade não utilizaram o software. Ao final de um ano de observação, foram comparadas as diferenças entre os dois grupos, quanto ao perfil de indicação e utilização de recursos fora do ambulatório em foco. RESULTADOS: O número de pacientes sob observação foi de 4.193 (616 (15%) no grupo intervenção; 3.577 (85%) no grupo controle). Desses, 3280 realizaram 80.665 procedimentos. A média do número desses eventos foi de 29,28 e 22,00 eventos para cada paciente, nos grupos intervenção e controle, respectivamente (p <0,001). Da mesma forma, o custo médio por paciente/ano caiu de R$1.130,34 para R$611,51 (p < 0,001), e, a média do custo por procedimento, de R$25,96 para R$19,85 (p < 0,001), para os grupos controle e intervenção, respectivamente. CONCLUSÕES: A utilização de um registro clínico essencial que seja capaz de abrigar e dar suporte ao ritual terapêutico que de fato ocorre na APS, integrado a guidelines que automatizem manejo e monitoramento de fatores de risco cardiovascular, reduz significativamente o número e os custos com procedimentos realizados por pacientes atendidos na APS. / INTRODUCTION: Primary healthcare is the major portal of entry into organized health systems. In this setting attention to given not only to analysis of health risks characterized by classified diseases but also to social and emotional factors. The Brazilian public healthcare system (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) has utilized this integrated model since its inception in 1990. Family and community medicine is the specialty of Primary Care and is compatible with these principles. However, clinical education, often based on a dominance of clinical secondary and tertiary care with a strong bias towards experimental biomedicine has a strong influence over the manner in which clinical events are registered and coded. These factors can create limitations to data registry and is often inadequate to encompass the complex environment which is encountered in the day to day experience of the majority of patients encountered in Primary Care. The present work is based on the integration of the method of Weed of problem oriented medical record taking with an automation of clinical records and cardiovascular risk factor monitoring and management. We describe the results of the use of a software program for improving the essential clinical patient record during patient visits , including guided cardiovascular risk management surveillance. The software program is compatible with the principles of SUS, the Primary Care setting and the philosophy of Family Medicine. METHODS: In 2003, in an Primary Health Care ambulatory setting outpatients, 20 years or older, were either treated by care using the automated patient record including the riskfactor surveillance software (Intervention group, n= 616) or were treated following the standard practice protocols of their family physicians (Control Group, n=3577). At the end of the year patient outcomes and overall patient care costs were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The average of the number of events (auxiliary tests, specialized referrals, and hospital admissions) decreased from 29.28 events per patient/year in the control group to 22.00 events per patient/year (p < 0,001) in the intervention group. Similarly the cost per patient/year decreased from R$1,130.34 to R$611.51 (p < 0.001), and the average cost per procedure decreased from R$25.96 to R$19.85 (p < 0.001) for the control and intervention groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that the use of an primary care automated clinical patient record, including a software program to automate cardiovascular risk factors guidelines, can decrease the number and cost of complementary exams, referrals to specialists, and hospital procedures arising from primary care consultations.

The general aim of this thesis is to describe and analyse the role of primary care in health care systems in terms of health, health care utilisation and costs, and to study the feasibility of retrieval of data from computerised medical records to monitor medical quality. The thesis includes five studies, a systematic literature review, a register study of utilisation of hospital and primary care, a study based on data from computerised medical records of individual patients cost for primary care, and two studies of management of respiratory infections in primary care based on data from computerised medical records of twelve health centres. The general findings of the literature review were that an expansion of the primary care component of the health care system would most likely result in better health, lower hospital care consumption and lower expenses for care. The personal physician and continuity of care were core elements to achieve this, and the significance of the way primary care is organised and funded was evident. In the register study fifty health centres were compared. Age and rates of outpatient hospital visits were the most important factors explaining the variation of rates of hospitalisations between the health centres’ areas. Hospital district also influenced hospitalisation rates in the different health centres’ areas, indicating that the health care structure in the district per se was an important factor. The rates of visits to general practitioners correlated negatively with rates of hospitalisations. The study of costs in primary care showed that the variation in the costs of the individual patients was substantial, also within age groups and within the diagnosis-related Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG). Age and gender explained a smaller part of the variation in costs per patient in primary care. Adding the ACG weight had a major influence on improving the ability to explain the variation in costs at patient level. The ACG system might be of value in the calculation of weighted capitation in Swedish primary care, but appears to be sensitive to the thoroughness with which physicians register diagnoses. The retrieval of data from computerised medical records comprised a total number of 19 965 encounters for respiratory tract infections i.e. 199 per 1000 inhabitants during the year 2001. Most frequent diagnoses were common cold, acute tonsillitis, and acute bronchitis. The number of antibioticprescriptions was 7 961, accounting for 47% of the episodes. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were phenoxymethylpenicillin (61%), tetracyclines (18%) and macrolides (8%). A rapid test was performed in 43% of the encounters: for C-reactive protein (CRP) in 31%; for Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (StrepA) in 22%; and both tests were performed in 10% of the encounters. The findings in the study indicate that StrepA and CRP tests were used too frequently and often with minor contributions to patient management. The frequencies of tests and of antibiotic prescriptions varied greatly between health centres in a way that hardly could be explained by differences in morbidity. Computerised medical records provided a source of clinical information, which might be a feasible and pragmatic method for studying daily practice, and for follow-up of adherence to guidelines in general practice.

Laboratory analyses, essential in screening, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of disease, are indispensable in health care, but appropriate utilization is intricate. The overall aim of this thesis was to study the use of laboratory tests in Sweden with the objective to evaluate and optimize test utilization. Considerable inter-county variations in test utilization in primary health care in Sweden were found; variations likely influenced by local traditions and habits of test ordering leading to over- as well as underutilization. Optimized test utilization was demonstrated to convey improved quality and substantial cost savings. It was further established that continuing medical education is a suitable means of optimizing test utilization, and consequently enhancing quality and cost-efficiency, as such education was demonstrated to achieve long-lasting improvements in the test ordering habits of primary health care physicians. Laboratory tests are closely associated with other, greater, health care costs, but their indirect effects on other areas of medicine are rarely evaluated or measured in monetary terms. In an illustrative example of the effects that optimal test utilization may have on associated health care costs it was demonstrated that F-calprotectin, a fecal marker of intestinal inflammation, has the potential to substantially reduce the number of invasive investigations necessary in, and the costs associated with, the diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Information on trends in test utilization is essential to optimal financial management of laboratories. A longitudinal evaluation revealed that test utilization had increased by 70% in 6 years, and even though the selection of tests more than doubled, a very small number of tests represented a stable, and disproportionally large, share of the total number of tests ordered. The study defines trends and thus has potential predictive values. In summary, appropriate utilization of laboratory analyses has both clinical and economical benefits on all levels of health care.

Magistro studijų baigiamasis darbas, 76 puslapių, 21 paveikslo, 2 lentelių, 68 literatūros šaltinių, 12 priedų, lietuvių kalba. Tyrimo objektas – Lietuvos privalomojo sveikatos draudimo sistemos finansavimas. Tyrimo dalykas – privalomasis sveikatos draudimas. Darbo tikslas – atlikus Lietuvos privalomojo sveikatos draudimo sistemos finansavimo analizę, nustatyti finansavimo problemas ir pateikti pasiūlymus jo tobulinimui. Uždaviniai: išnagrinėti sveikatos draudimo teorinius aspektus, sukurti Lietuvos privalomojo sveikatos draudimo sistemos finansavimo įvertinimo metodiką, įvertinti Lietuvos privalomojo sveikatos draudimo finansavimo modelį, atskleisti sveikatos draudimo sistemos privalumus ir trūkumus, indentifikuoti privalomojo sveikatos draudimo sistemos finansavimo problemas, ištirti ir įvertinti veiksnius labiausiai įtakojančius Privalomojo sveikatos draudimo fondo biudžetą, pateikti sveikatos draudimo sistemos finansavimo tobulinimo galimybes. Iškeltai problemai tirti ir rezultatams gauti naudoti šie tyrimo metodai: specialiosios literatūros bendrieji moksliniai tyrimo metodai – literatūros analizė ir sintezė, sisteminė analizė, loginė analizė ir sintezė, loginio ir grafinio modeliavimo metodai, daugiafaktorinė regresinė analizė, prognoziniai skaičiavimai. Nagrinėjant Lietuvos autorių mokslinius straipsnius, periodinę spaudą, užsienio autorių mokslinius darbus apie sveikatos draudimo sistemą, atlikta Lietuvos privalomojo sveikatos draudimo sistemos finansavimo analizė... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The research project is written in Lithuanian language and comprises of 76 pages, 21 figures, 2 tables, 68 references, 12 appendices. Research object: financing of Lithuanian compulsory health insurance system. Research subject: compulsory health insurance. Research aim: to evaluate the financing system of compulsory health insurance in Lithuania and to define the problems and opportunity of improvement. Objectives: to analyse the theoretical aspects of health insurance, create methodology of financing evaluation of Lithuanian compulsory health insurance system, evaluate model of financing of Lithuanian compulsory health insurance system, show advantages and disadvantages of health insurance system, identify problems of financing of compulsory health insurance system, analyse and evaluate factors significantly effecting compulsory health insurance fund budget, provide the recommendations for the improvement of financing of Lithuanian compulsory health insurance system. For solving problems and research results the following research methods were used: general scientific research methods of special literature - analysis and synthesis of literature, systemic analysis, logical analysis and synthesis, methods of graphic and logical modelling, multifactor regression analysis, forecast calculations. During the research of scientific articles by Lithuanian authors, periodic printings, scientific works by foreign authors about health insurance system, analysis of financing of... [to full text]

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.