From providers to primary health organisations: An institutional analysis of nonprofit primary health care governance in New Zealand

Abstract

Policy reforms to primary health care delivery in New Zealand required government-funded firms overseeing care delivery to be constituted as nonprofit entities with governance shared between consumers and producers. This paper examines the consumer and producer interests in these firmsʼ allocation of ownership and control utilising theories of competition. Consistent with pre-reform patterns of ownership and control, provider interests appear to have exerted effective control over these entitiesʼ formation and governance in all but a few cases where community (consumer) control pre-existed. Their ability to do so is implied from the absence of a defined ownership stake and the changes to incentives facing the different stakeholding groups. It appears that the pre-existing patterns will prevail and further intervention will be required if policy-makers are to achieve their underlying aims.

Citation

Howell, B. and Cordery, C. (2013), "From providers to primary health organisations: An institutional analysis of nonprofit primary health care governance in New Zealand", Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 4-40. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBAFM-25-01-2013-B002