IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/gjhsjl/v12y2020i10p79.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hospital Managers’ Perceptions Regarding Setting Healthcare Priorities in Kuwait

Author

Listed:
  • Abdullah M. Alsabah
  • Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli
  • Jolene Skordis-Worrall

Abstract

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE- In view of the budget limitations resulting from the downturn in the Kuwaiti economy, it is crucial to evaluate the process of priority setting within the health system to identify strengths and weaknesses of this process within both the public and private sectors. Once the weak points are identified, policy makers can work with hospital administration staff to upgrade the process with the aim of utilising health resources more efficiently. The purpose of this study is to give decision makers some insight on the perspective of hospital managers regarding the current process of priority setting, and suggest ways to improve this process. Additionally, this study will provide the opinions of hospital managers in questioning the effect of certain healthcare policies, currently given top priority, on healthcare system efficiency. The views of the hospital managers interviewed indicate their preferences in priority setting and the changes in health spending they believe are required. METHODS- A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 14 managers from public and private hospitals in Kuwait. Content analysis was used to produce major themes and sub-themes from the interview transcripts. RESULTS- While several similarities and differences in the priority-setting process between the public and private sectors were apparent, the main strength in the process that most managers from both sectors mentioned, was that it was simple, systematic, comprehensive and democratic. The several weaknesses of the process include it not being evidence-based due to the lack of accurate and up-to-date data. Also, the discrepancy between the official statements made and the actual practices of health decision makers in the country demonstrate the confusion around the priority-setting process. Most respondents, from both sectors, thought that the availability of a clear and well-communicated national health strategic plan would facilitate the necessary modifications in legislative, structural and administrative strategies to streamline the processes of allocating resources and setting priorities. For example, most respondents believed that the disadvantages of the costly practice of sending patients abroad for treatment and its effect on resource allocation outweighed its advantages. Further, the managers from both sectors had different perceptions regarding the policy of private health insurance for retirees. These two policies, according to some hospital managers, added strain to the health budget and undermined trust in the public-health sector. CONCLUSION- This study examined the perspective of hospital managers regarding the process of healthcare priority setting in Kuwait, and ways to improve it. Priority setting could be improved by having a better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. The study concludes that health decision makers should remain responsible for accepting and implementing evidence-based, systematic processes of resource allocation. Additionally, continuous monitoring and evaluation of the impact of health policies will be required to improve overall health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdullah M. Alsabah & Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli & Jolene Skordis-Worrall, 2020. "Hospital Managers’ Perceptions Regarding Setting Healthcare Priorities in Kuwait," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(10), pages 1-79, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:ibn:gjhsjl:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:79
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/download/0/0/43423/45536
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/view/0/43423
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eddama, Oya & Coast, Joanna, 2008. "A systematic review of the use of economic evaluation in local decision-making," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(2-3), pages 129-141, May.
    2. Stephen Birch & John Eyles & Jeremiah Hurley & Brian Hutchison & Shelley Chambers, 1993. "A Needs-based Approach to Resource Allocation in Health Care," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 19(1), pages 68-85, March.
    3. Mitton, Craig R. & Donaldson, Cam, 2003. "Setting priorities and allocating resources in health regions: lessons from a project evaluating program budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA)," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 335-348, June.
    4. Mitton, Craig & Donaldson, Cam, 2002. "Setting priorities in Canadian regional health authorities: a survey of key decision makers," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 39-58, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barbara Bini & Milena Vainieri & Sabina Nuti, 2015. "Definizione delle priorit? di intervento in sanit?: approcci socio-tecnici a confronto," MECOSAN, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(93), pages 49-73.
    2. Hipgrave, David B. & Alderman, Katarzyna Bolsewicz & Anderson, Ian & Soto, Eliana Jimenez, 2014. "Health sector priority setting at meso-level in lower and middle income countries: Lessons learned, available options and suggested steps," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 190-200.
    3. Kapiriri, Lydia & Razavi, Donya, 2017. "How have systematic priority setting approaches influenced policy making? A synthesis of the current literature," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(9), pages 937-946.
    4. Cornelissen, Evelyn & Mitton, Craig & Davidson, Alan & Reid, Colin & Hole, Rachelle & Visockas, Anne-Marie & Smith, Neale, 2014. "Determining and broadening the definition of impact from implementing a rational priority setting approach in a healthcare organization," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-9.
    5. Gregory Merlo & Katie Page & Julie Ratcliffe & Kate Halton & Nicholas Graves, 2015. "Bridging the Gap: Exploring the Barriers to Using Economic Evidence in Healthcare Decision Making and Strategies for Improving Uptake," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 303-309, June.
    6. Cornelissen, Evelyn & Mitton, Craig & Davidson, Alan & Reid, R. Colin & Hole, Rachelle & Visockas, Anne-Marie & Smith, Neale, 2014. "Changing priority setting practice: The role of implementation in practice change," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 266-274.
    7. Eddama, Oya & Coast, Joanna, 2009. "Use of economic evaluation in local health care decision-making in England: A qualitative investigation," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(3), pages 261-270, March.
    8. Miller, Fiona A. & Lehoux, Pascale & Rac, Valeria E. & Bytautas, Jessica P. & Krahn, Murray & Peacock, Stuart, 2020. "Modes of coordination for health technology adoption: Health Technology Assessment agencies and Group Procurement Organizations in a polycentric regulatory regime," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    9. Michael E. Otim & Augustine D. Asante & Margaret Kelaher & Ian P. Anderson & Stephen Jan, 2016. "Acceptability of programme budgeting and marginal analysis as a tool for routine priority setting in Indigenous health," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 277-295, July.
    10. W. Dominika Wranik & Liesl Gambold & Natasha Hanson & Adrian Levy, 2017. "The evolution of the cancer formulary review in Canada: Can centralization improve the use of economic evaluation?," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 232-260, April.
    11. Hunsmann, Moritz, 2012. "Limits to evidence-based health policymaking: Policy hurdles to structural HIV prevention in Tanzania," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1477-1485.
    12. K Katsaliaki & N Mustafee, 2011. "Applications of simulation within the healthcare context," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(8), pages 1431-1451, August.
    13. Brian Reddy & Praveen Thokala & Alison Iliff & Kerry Warhurst & Helen Chambers & Lynsey Bowker & Stephen J. Walters & Alejandra Duenas & Michael P. Kelly, 2016. "Using MCDA to generate and interpret evidence to inform local government investment in public health," EURO Journal on Decision Processes, Springer;EURO - The Association of European Operational Research Societies, vol. 4(3), pages 161-181, November.
    14. Kolasa, Katarzyna & Schubert, Sebastian & Manca, Andrea & Hermanowski, Tadeusz, 2011. "A review of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) recommendations for drug therapies issued between 2007 and 2009 and their impact on policymaking processes in Poland," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(2), pages 145-151.
    15. Matthew Franklin & James Lomas & Gerry Richardson, 2020. "Conducting Value for Money Analyses for Non-randomised Interventional Studies Including Service Evaluations: An Educational Review with Recommendations," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 38(7), pages 665-681, July.
    16. Jinxia Zhu & Qian Xu & Yi Pan & Lefeng Qiu & Yi Peng & Haijun Bao, 2018. "Land-Acquisition and Resettlement (LAR) Conflicts: A Perspective of Spatial Injustice of Urban Public Resources Allocation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, March.
    17. Ahumada-Canale, Antonio & Jeet, Varinder & Bilgrami, Anam & Seil, Elizabeth & Gu, Yuanyuan & Cutler, Henry, 2023. "Barriers and facilitators to implementing priority setting and resource allocation tools in hospital decisions: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    18. Deepa Mishra & Sameer Kumar & Elkafi Hassini, 2019. "Current trends in disaster management simulation modelling research," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 283(1), pages 1387-1411, December.
    19. Elias Asfaw Zegeye & Josue Mbonigaba & Sylvia Blanche Kaye & Thomas Wilkinson, 2017. "Economic Evaluation in Ethiopian Healthcare Sector Decision Making: Perception, Practice and Barriers," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 33-43, February.
    20. Kelly Bedard & John Dorland & Allan W. Gregory & Mark Rosenberg, 1999. "Standardized Mortality Ratios and Canadian Health-Care Funding," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 25(1), pages 47-64, March.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:gjhsjl:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:79. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.