Lessons from London: The British are reforming their national health service

A. Vall-Spinosa

American Journal of Public Health, 1991, vol. 81, issue 12, 1566-1570

Abstract: In an effort to keep abreast of the chaning needs of a more affluent society and to ensure better value for money, the British are reforming their National Health Service. They are promoting competition and entrepreneurship, and directing funding to follow a patient rather than flowing directly to institutions. British physicians are resisting these changes. The United States, in the middle of a health care crisis of its own, can learn a great deal from Britain, especially in the area of controlling expenditures. The low cost of the National Health Service can be attributed to four major factors: (1) It is general practitioner driven and no patient accesses a specialist or hospital directly. (2) Hospitals, which employ all the specialists and supply most of the technology, operate on very tight, cash-limited budgets. (3) Administrative costs are very low. (4) The expense of malpractice is not (yet) a major concern. Changes occurring in both countries foretell a future wherein our health care systems may look very much alike.

Date: 1991
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1991:81:12:1566-1570_9

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