OBJECTIVES Existing studies of disparities in access to oral health care for underserved populations often focus on supply measures such as number of dentists. This approach overlooks the importance of other aspects of the dental care delivery system, such as personal and practice characteristics of dentists, that determine the capacity to provide care. This study aims to assess the role of suc...

To advance understanding of key health policy issues and to advocate, in concert with others as appropriate, health policy that will improve health and the manner in which health care and financing systems serve Americans. Goals The Institute's Goals are to: • Identify significant long-term health policy issues; • Organize internal and external resources to analyze such policies; • Improve unde...

As the largest payer for health services in the United States, Medicare has the potential to use its payment policies to stimulate change in the organization of care to improve quality and mitigate cost growth. This paper proposes a framework in which Medicare would offer an array of new bundled payment options for physician group practices, hospitals, and delivery systems, with incentives to e...

This article examined the critical elements that have been identified in the development of advanced practice roles of nurses in four countries: Brazil, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Several sociopolitical and professional forces were examined for possible insights and ways in which they may have shaped the development and evolution of the roles of advanced prac...

This policy statement, which replaces the retired statements "Health Care for Children of Immigrant Families" (1997) and "Health Needs of Homeless Children and Families" (1996), is a broader discussion and addresses not only immigrant but also homeless and migrant child populations. It provides pediatricians with the necessary framework for addressing underserved children: those who face substa...

this comment on professor fotaki’s editorial agrees with her arguments that training health professionals in more compassionate, caring and ethically sound care will have little value unless the system in which they work changes. it argues that for system change to occur, senior management, government members and civil servants themselves need training so that they learn to understand the effec...

Integrated care is now a recognized paradigm for health care reforms around the globe. The need to address the problem of fragmented systems of care that undermine the performance of health care systems and result in poor quality care and outcomes to people has become a key policy ambition in many countries and regions. For example, in the Americas, resolutions have been passed in support of in...

Even the most socially aware countries in the World have noticed the gap increase between the poorest and the richest population groups. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of inequity and to identify main barriers for equitable health care utilization by economic status, region and area of living, controlled for health needs in the Croatian adult population. The data from...

Colorado, Minnesota, and Vermont are pioneering innovative health care pay­ment and delivery system reforms. While the states are pursuing different models, all three are working to align incentives between health care payers and providers to better coordi­nate care, enhance prevention and disease management, reduce avoidable utilization and total costs, and improve health outcomes. Colorado an...