title: Examining health care spending trends over a decade: the Palestinian case.
abstract: An analysis was made of recent health care spending patterns in the occupied Palestinian territory, in order to inform future health policy-making and planning. Data were obtained from the national health accounts for the period 2000-2011. The current level of resource allocation to the health care sector is higher than in many developed countries and is not sustainable. The private sector represents the largest source of health financing (61%) and the burden falls disproportionally on individual households, who account for 63% of private health care expenditure. Key recommendations include: building capacity in the government sector to reduce the outsourcing of health services; modifying inequitable financing mechanisms to reduce the burden on households; and allocating more resources for health promotion and disease prevention programmes. Reorientation of the health system is also needed in terms of reducing the share of spending on inpatient services in favour of more day surgery, outpatient and home-based services.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Environmental Studies, Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management, İstanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: H Ö
authors.initials: HÖ
authors.lastname: Narcı
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Administration, The William G. McGowan School of Business, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akinci
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Zirve University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nacakgedigi
mesh_terms: D057191:Capacity Building; D003906:Developing Countries; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends*; D006291:Health Policy; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D008877:Middle East