Healthcare Reform

 

What can be learnt from Korea’s doctor strike?

Junior doctors in South Korea are striking in protest of the government’s decision to increase the country’s cap on medical school places by 65%, claiming it would negatively impact the quality of medical education and not fix the country’s health care shortages. With workforce being a major issue in health systems across the world — and one that is set to become increasingly pressing as populations age — this could be a portent of what is to come elsewhere.

Is the future of care at home?

The centre of gravity of the health and care sector is shifting away from hospitals and nursing homes. Capacity and resource constraints combined with policy pushes for greater access in the community and advances in medtech mean that over the coming decades an increasing amount of care will be delivered in an outpatient setting and at home. But Joseph Musgrave, CEO of Home & Community Care Ireland, Ireland’s trade association for domiciliary care providers, warns us there is a major stumbling block: almost every country lacks a structured career pathway for carers.

A bright future for Finnish providers

Positive results from three Finnish healthcare giants indicate the market is on an exciting trajectory. Janne-Olli Järvenpää, CEO of Mehiläinen, the largest of the three groups, explains the opportunities for both outsourcing and private-pay - and how independent operators can make the most of booming demand in what may be Europe's "most advanced healthcare market in terms of private-pay".

UK pharmacists given green light to prescribe as primary care can’t cope

Pharmacists in the UK now have the right to prescribe for common ailments such as sore throats and earaches. In France, Ireland and Portugal pharmacists also have some prescribing rights and similar initiatives may be introduced in other European countries in the near future. Is this a solution to the GP workforce shortage? And will it be a good thing for private hospital and private primary care groups?

Bankrupt English councils a worry for care operators

As increasing numbers of local councils in England declare themselves bankrupt, fees are giving care home operators cause for concern. HBI catches up with two market experts to understand why more insolvencies are on the way, and what this could mean for the sector’s future.

Bankruptcies of German care homes “will force reform”

As the threat of mass bankruptcies hits the headlines in Germany, HBI hears that residents are beginning to feel the sting of the country’s dwindling supply of nursing homes, and that 2024 could prove to be the tipping point when public pressure actually triggers political change - but things may get even worse before before they get better.

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