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The
Institute has been actively studying various aspects of the
private health sector, with special emphasis on standards and
quality assurance. A computerized database (Andhra Pradesh health
Institutions Database) of health institutions in AP has been set
up in 1993 with 3,000 records. Currently the data base has 19,824
HCI’s listed in it. The APHIDB is an effort to make
comprehensive information available about HCIs in a structured
way.
The
IHS was commissioned[1] by the AP First
Referral Health Systems Project (APFRHSP), to take stock of the
private health sector in Andhra Pradesh and identify appropriate
policy choices for their overall development. A comprehensive
report[2] on the private
health sector in AP and policy recommendations regarding the
private sector has been brought out. Although the studies and
workshops were organized in the context of Andhra Pradesh state,
the issues, findings and solutions proposed here are relevant to
the health systems of all states in
India
as well as many other developing countries.
The
IHS was commissioned by the Government of India under World Bank
funding to map the structure and dynamics of the private health
sector and the implications for
India
’s health policy. [3] Based
on the findings of the study number of policy recommendations were
made. The recommendations include: utilization of private
hospitals and nursing homes capacity to increase incidence of
institutional deliveries; developing public health standards;
encouraging partnerships with nonprofit agencies; substantial
increase in allocation of government expenditure to health sector;
streamlining and expansion of fiduciary social security services;
streamlining licensing mechanisms for health care professionals
and creating licensing mechanisms for health care facilities,
strengthening public sector hospitals to respond to
hospitalization needs of the poor; voluntary accreditation and
facilitation of incentives to encourage accreditation.
The
Institute is connected with voluntary accreditation agencies
elsewhere in the world, including the American Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Health Care Organisations (JCHAO). IHS personnel
have spent time with hospitals in the
USA
to study about their accreditation and quality assurance
practices. Research at the IHS on health care quality assurance
started with studies[4],[5] to assess the demand
for quality assurance of services and the need for accreditation
system.
The
Institute is currently implementing two public –private
partnership projects with Government of AP for Prevention of
Waterborne Diseases in about 800 Urban Slums of Hyderabad and
monitoring water quality in the city. The presence of external
monitoring and direct reporting of findings to senior most level
of Board management has to a great extent ensured that lower level
staff are more vigilant and prompt in carrying out their routine
work. Data indicate that there has been an overall improvement in
quality of water supplied and sanitation systems and decline in
incidence of gastroenteritis in the slums. Further, communication
of findings on a real time basis to the officers of Board ensures
prompt response in taking corrective measures. The projects were
commissioned by the HMWSSB and have been in operation since
February 2005[6].
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