Health Reforms in Post-Communist Eastern Europe: The Politics of Policy Learning

This book explores healthcare reforms in post-communist Eastern Europe, arguing that policy learning, market-oriented ideas, and institutional configurations have influenced success. It offers a novel comparison of health reform and policy changes.

Format: Hardback
Length: 219 pages
Publication date: 02 January 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive book delves into the first in-depth exploration of healthcare reforms in post-communist Eastern Europe. By integrating insights from comparative politics and public policy analysis, it examines the health reforms in Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Poland between 1989 and 2019. The book argues that the post-communist transformation of healthcare policy has been characterized by a process of policy learning, with the countries' reform pathways shaped by a series of initiatives aimed at implementing market-oriented policy ideas in healthcare. The success of these initiatives has been influenced by three key factors: policy legacies, political competition, and institutional configurations. This book offers a novel and insightful comparison of health reform in the region and policy changes more broadly, making it a valuable resource for scholars and students of public policy, health policy, and European politics.

Introduction:
The post-communist transition in Eastern Europe has been marked by significant changes in healthcare systems, with countries striving to adapt to the challenges of market-oriented economies and the demands of a rapidly aging population. This book aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of healthcare reforms in post-communist Eastern Europe, focusing on Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. By examining these three countries, which represent different stages of the transition and different policy approaches, the book seeks to shed light on the factors that have influenced healthcare policy development and the outcomes of these reforms.

Chapter 1:
In the first chapter, the book provides an overview of the healthcare systems in post-communist Eastern Europe, including their historical background, structure, and challenges. It highlights the legacy of communism, which left healthcare systems in a state of neglect and underfunding, as well as the impact of the transition to market-oriented economies on healthcare provision. The chapter also discusses the role.

Chapter 2:
In the second chapter, the book examines the health reforms in Slovenia, the first country to undergo a comprehensive healthcare reform in post-communist Eastern Europe. It explores the political and economic context of the reform, the policy choices made, and the outcomes of the reform. The chapter also discusses the role of international organizations, such as the World Bank and the European Union, in supporting the reform.

Chapter 3:
In the third chapter, the book examines the health reforms in the Czech Republic, the second country to undergo a comprehensive healthcare reform in post-communist Eastern Europe. It explores the political and economic context of the reform, the policy choices made, and the outcomes of the reform. The chapter also discusses the role.

Chapter 4:
In the fourth chapter, the book examines the health reforms in Poland, the third country to undergo a comprehensive healthcare reform in post-communist Eastern Europe. It explores the political and economic context of the reform, the policy choices made, and the outcomes of the reform. The chapter also discusses the role.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book provides a valuable contribution to the literature on healthcare reforms in post-communist Eastern Europe. By examining the health reforms in Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, it sheds light on the factors that have influenced healthcare policy development and the outcomes of these reforms. The book argues that the post-communist transformation of healthcare policy has been characterized by a process of policy learning, with the countries' reform pathways shaped by a series of initiatives aimed at applying market-oriented policy ideas in healthcare. The success of these initiatives has been influenced by three key factors: policy legacies, political competition, and institutional configurations. The book offers a novel comparison of health reform in the region and policy changes more generally, making it a valuable resource for scholars and students of public policy, health policy, and European politics.

Weight: 432g
Dimension: 155 x 219 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031154966
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023