In recent years, decentralization of financial and political power has been perceived as a useful means to improve outcomes of the health care sector of many European countries. Such reforms could be the result of fashionable policy trends, rather than being based on knowledge of "what works"....

The performance of health service providers may be monitored by measuring productivity. However, the policy value of such measures may depend crucially on the accuracy of input and output measures. In particular, an important question is how to adjust adequately for case-mix in the production of...

The reorganisation efforts of the hospital sector in many Western countries in recent decades have challenged the role, identity and autonomy of medical professionals. This has led to increased focus on the role and impact of physicians who are also managers and on the unique discourse being...