title: Health sector structures: the case of Belgium.
abstract: In Belgium, the formal framework of health care is a composite of public and private practice forming a policy that is the product of negotiation between differing power groups. An inter-university and inter-disciplinary research and development project was set up in 1974 by the Government, in order to inform and prepare a primary health care (PHC) policy. A preliminary evaluation of the project shows that it made major contributions to the development of an acceptable framework of PHC, to political, professional and lay support for PHC, to the development of organizational models for PHC, and to an increase of research capability within PHC. Overall, the project is a clear demonstration that research can be a strategic agent for innovation.
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*