Herpes zoster (HZ; shingles) is a common viral disease that affects the nerves and surrounding skin causing a painful dermatomal rash and leading to debilitating complications such as, mainly, post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Currently, there is no effective treatment for HZ and PHN. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of a HZ vaccination program in Germany. An existi...

we argue that the field of health policy and management (hpam) ought to confront the gap between theory, policy, and practice. although there are perennial efforts to reform healthcare systems, the conceptual barriers are considerable and reflect the theory-policy-practice gap. we highlight four dimensions of the gap: 1) the dominance of microeconomic thinking in health policy analysis and desi...

health systems have entered a third era embracing whole systems thinking and posing complex policy and management challenges. understanding how such systems work and agreeing what needs to be put in place to enable them to undergo effective and sustainable change are more pressing issues than ever for policy-makers. the theory-policy-practice-gap and its four dimensions, as articulated by chini...