OBJECTIVES This study aimed to identify the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding the effectiveness and the impact of a new general practitioner-led (GP-led) walk-in centre in the UK. SETTING This qualitative study was conducted in a large city in the North of England. In the past few years, there has been particular concern about an increase in the use of emergency department (ED...

BACKGROUND South Africa has a high tuberculosis (TB)-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection rate of 73%, yet only 46% of TB patients are tested for HIV. To date, relatively little work has focused on understanding why TB patients may not accept effective services or participate in programs that are readily available in healthcare delivery systems. The objective of the study was to explo...

W ith the healthcare ministry moving toward managed care, hospitals are becoming increasingly involved in alternative arrangements with other hospitals, physicians, insurers, and employers looking for cost-efficient healthcare services. There are many alternative arrangements, integrated delivery networks ( IDNs) , integrated provider o rgan iza t ions ( I P O s ) , in tegra ted provider arrang...

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) offer a unique opportunity for policy-makers to build on the millennium development goals (MDGs) by adopting more sustainable approaches to addressing global development challenges. The delivery of health services is of particular concern. Most African countries are unlikely to achieve the health MDGs, however, significant progress has been made particul...

The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) World Health Report 2010, “Health systems financing, the path to universal coverage,” promoted universal health coverage (UHC) as an aspirational objective for country health systems. Yet, in addition to the dimensions of services and coverage, distribution of coverage in the population, and financial risk protection highlighted by the report, the conside...

The use of digital technology has become increasingly commonplace within the United Kingdom, with many public services, including healthcare, becoming ‘digital by default’ in response to COVID-19 pandemic and pledged government objectives. Digital healthcare delivery shown be a beneficial mode delivery, yet it is unclear whether benefits are experienced evenly throughout society. Individuals fr...

Background and Objectives: Justice is one of the basic principles of medical ethics which indicates rightful, fair, impartial, and equitable care. The present study aimed to introduce patient favoritism, a phenomenon that undermines justice. Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted based on some data derived from another qualitative study titled “Investigating the process of achiev...

BACKGROUND Research on gay and other men who have sex with men's (G/MSM) preferences for sexual healthcare services focuses largely on HIV testing and to some extent on sexually transmitted infections (STI). This research illustrates the frequency and location of where G/MSM interface with the healthcare system, but it does not speak to why men seek care in those locations. As HIV and STI preve...

BACKGROUND The healthcare industry is characterized by intensive, never-ending change occurring on a multitude of fronts. Success in such tumultuous environments requires healthcare providers to be proficient in myriad areas, including the manner in which they organize and deliver services. Less efficient designs drain precious resources and hamper efforts to deliver the best care possible to p...