Healthcare Management

Author: L. Katrova, I. Coulter, C. Maida, M. Marcus, Tz. Katrova

Title: Political, economic and social contexts of the health reforms in the reforms in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. 3, 2003, ¹ 2, 12-19.

Key Words (author's): Health reforms, Patterns of economic transition, European integration process, Globalization.

Key Words (MEDLINE): Health care reform; Health care sector - organization and administration; National health programs - organization and administration; Europe, Eastern; Europe, Central; Politics; Socioeconomic factors; Social change; Social justice.

Topic: Studies, analyses, reviews

Abstract

The Health Reforms in the countries of the Central and Eastern Europe, during the last decade of the 20-th century viewed as sustainable changes of the legislation, the financing, and the delivery of health services, have been influenced by the radical political, economic and social transformations, occurring in these countries. This process has its national, European and global dimensions. Based on a comparative analysis of the patterns of economic transition and the mechanism of health system restructuring in Check Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria it has been found that the Health Reforms follow the same steps of liberalization, privatization and stabilization as the overall transformation in these countries do. The implementation of market approaches in the Health Systems along with the fast changing social relations, generate prerequisites for conflicts between interests and values on different levels: national traditions, European criteria, and global principles. The above thesis is supported by a document analysis, including official statistics, laws and regulations, and research papers from World Bank and European Union sources.

Address for correspondence:

  1. Dr. L. Katrova PhD, Medical University Sofia; Faculty of Dentistry, Chair of Public Health and Community Dentistry, e-mail: [email protected]
  2. Ian Coulter, PhD. Sociologist, Professor, Health Consultant at RAND, 1700 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138 USA, tel: 310-393-0411/6759, e mail: [email protected]
  3. Carl Maida, PhD Anthropologist, Professor, Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, UCLA, Room 63-045A CHS, Box 951668, Los Angeles, CA USA, tel: 310-825-6849, e mail [email protected]
  4. Marvin Marcus, MPH Professor and Chair Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, UCLA, Room 63-045A CHS, Box 951668, Los Angeles, CA USA, tel: 310-825-6849. e mail: [email protected]
  5. Tz. Katrova, Economist, Tel./Fax +359 02 945-43-62