Equity in the allocation of health care resources.
This paper examines some of the issues that arise when seeking to tackle health inequalities in a context of limited health care resources. Increasingly, central agencies are using devolved budgets for health care providers as a central instrument of expenditure control. Equity objectives play an important role in the resource allocation methods used to determine such budgets. Yet, unless integrated into a proper system of risk management, the use of budgets can lead to serious inequity. The paper discusses the potential contributions of different disciplines to promoting equity within a health care budgetary regime.
Sheldon
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TA
Department of Health Studies, University of York, UK.
Smith
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PC
D002017:Budgets; D002204:Capitation Fee; D019049:Developed Countries; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D012935:Social Justice; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors