This paper reconsiders the evidence and several of the key arguments associated with the theory of supplier-induced demand (SID). It proposes a new theory to explain how ethical behaviour is consistent with SID. The purpose of a theory of demand and one criterion for the evaluation of a theory...

Background:Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained disorder of cardiac rhythm. Various new anticoagulation and antiarrythmic treatments are being investigated for the treatment of AF. Before novel treatments can be used widely in actual clinical practice, the cost...

Many low- and middle-income countries continue to search for better ways of financing their health systems. Common to many of these systems are problems of inadequate resource mobilisation, as well as inefficient and inequitable use of existing resources. The poor and other vulnerable groups who...

The aim of this article is to measure and explain income-related inequalities in dentist utilisation. We apply concentration and horizontal inequity indices and the decomposition method to decompose observed inequalities into sources. The data are from the Finnish Health Care Survey of 1996. We...

This article aims to evaluate the results of two different approaches underlying the attempts to reduce health inequalities in France. In the At this stage, a pragmatic analysis based on both the comparison of regional hospital budgets during the period 1992-2003 (calculated using a

The aim of this study was to investigate alternative methods for aggregating public preferences that may then be used to guide priority-setting decisions in healthcare. This involved asking members of the Australian public to assume the role of a healthcare planner and to allocate an additional...

This article outlines an approach to resource allocation in healthcare that embraces the concepts of

Background: While the number of GP services provided in Australia increased steadily from the inception of Medicare in 1984 until the mid 1990s, it declined by 6.6% from 1997-8 to 2003-4. This reflects a decline in average number of services provided per GP of 8.0%. In Australia, as in the US...

Background: Decision makers within the Calgary Health Region adopted and applied programme budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA) for priority-setting activity across major service portfolios within the Region. Methods: Seventeen in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with senior...