Steering healthcare service delivery: a regulatory perspective

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore regulation in India’s healthcare sector and makes recommendations needed for enhancing the healthcare service.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature was reviewed to understand healthcare’s regulatory context. To understand the current healthcare system, qualitative data were collected from state-level officials, public and private hospital staff. A patient survey was performed to assess service quality (QoS).

Findings

Regulation plays a central role in driving healthcare QoS. India needs to strengthen market and institutional co-production based approaches for steering its healthcare in which delivery processes are complex and pose different challenges.

Research limitations/implications

This study assesses current healthcare regulation in an Indian state and presents a framework for studying and strengthening regulation. Agile regulation should be based on service delivery issues (pull approach) rather than monitoring and sanctions based regulatory environment (push approach).

Practical implications

Healthcare pitfalls across the world seem to follow similar follies. India’s complexity and experience is useful for emerging and developed economies.

Originality/value

The author reviewed around 70 publications and synthesised them in healthcare regulatory contexts. Patient’s perception of private providers could be a key input towards steering regulation. Identifying gaps across QoS dimensions would be useful in taking corrective measures.

Citation

Prakash, G. (2015), "Steering healthcare service delivery: a regulatory perspective", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 173-192. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-03-2014-0036