This paper explores the effectiveness of the voluntary reform. It studies a voluntary healthcare reform that was implemented in Ireland in 2008. The analysis is conducted using a theoretical model and empirical evidence. In 2008, in the hope to reduce waiting lists, new contracts were issued...

Healthcare payment systems influence to a great extent the hospitals' investment decision and thereby, their ability to treat patients. A payment system is optimal provided it incentivises hospitals to undertake an investment level that is appropriate, when considering treatment costs, patients'...

This paper proposes a theoretical analysis of the private provision of care within public hospitals and assesses its impact on the quality and cost of healthcare. We also capture this policy's impact on the number of outpatients that are seen and the number that are cured. We show that the...

This paper proposes a normative analysis which investigates the optimal management of private practices within a public hospital. Private income supplementation induces consultants to attend to more patients which reduces waiting lists and the public cost of healthcare. It is however optimal to...

Healthcare payment systems influence to a great extent the hospitals' investment decision and thereby, their ability to treat patients. A payment system is optimal provided it incentivises hospitals to undertake an investment level that is appropriate, when considering treatment costs, patients'...

This paper explores the effectiveness of the voluntary reform. It studies a voluntary healthcare reform that was implemented in Ireland in 2008. The analysis is conducted using a theoretical model and empirical evidence. In 2008, in the hope to reduce waiting lists, new contracts were issued...