Healthcare systems: typologies, framework models, and South Africa’s health sector

Abstract

Purpose A healthcare system in any country is rarely the product of one logical policy-making experience, but rather a manifestation of many years of historical development. The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics, components, and variables of South Africa’s healthcare system in the context of global patterns. It leverages a dynamic period in South Africa since 1994, and applies a comparative health systems analysis to explain where the country’s healthcare system is, and where it is potentially going. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews literature related to South Africa’s healthcare system, outlines its historical development, and discusses three fundamental challenges experienced in the country. This paper also reviews the literature on healthcare system typologies and identifies three framework models that have been used to categorise national healthcare systems since the 1970s. This paper then discusses the categorisation of South Africa’s healthcare system in these models, in comparison to Canada and the USA. Findings This paper finds that the framework models are useful tools for comparative analysis of healthcare systems. However, any use of such typologies should be done with the awareness that national healthcare systems are not isolated entities because they function within a larger context. They are not static, since they are constantly evolving with many nuances, even with very similar healthcare system categorisations. Originality/value This paper charts the trajectory of change in the South African healthcare system, and demonstrates that the change process must keep internal conditions in mind if the outcome is to be successful. Imitating policies of countries with well-functioning systems, without regard to local realities, may not work, as the government attempts to usher in changes within a short span of time.

Inequity in paediatric oncology in South Africa – The neuroblastoma case study

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Descriptive literature review of human resource information systems (HRIS) adoption issues in the health sector, South Africa

“…ElNakib, Ragheb, Youssef, and Ghanem (2021) propose further studies to identify problems faced by HRIS adoption in the health sector for effective delivery of health services. Katuu (2018) argues that several challenges that impede the adoption of HRIS need to be further researched using empirically developed frameworks, theories and models, for a comprehensive analysis of HRIS in the health sector of South Africa. This paper therefore extends our understanding of HRIS adoption issues within the health sector of South Africa.…”

“…Effective monitoring of human resource within an organisation has the advantage of reducing workplace stressors (Turek & Wojtczuk-Turek, 2015;Grobler et al, 2018). HRIS has thus become known for benefitting organisations with timely detection of debilitating workplace conditions that cause employee dissatisfaction (Udekwe, 2016;Katuu, 2018). To develop a comprehensive HRIS necessitates a complete HR component for health sector effectiveness (Saka, 2013).…”

“…The South African health system is a manifestation of many years of historic development (Katuu, 2018) essentially reflecting the many changes in policy and legislation (Van Rensburg & Harrison, 1995). The physical state and management of public healthcare facilities that serve the majority of South Africa's population have been inadequate, which accounts for the lack of system upgrades and delivery of health services in the country (South Africa, 2010).…”

Evaluating Health System Efficiency using Data Envelopment Analysis: A case of Indian Healthcare System

“…Health systems have evolved over time and many countries in the world both developed and developing, in the recent past have undergone a health sector reform. Many of the changes are structural as well as policy (Collins et al, 2000;Katuu, 2018). While sustainability of healthcare remains the focus of most countries in order to improve the quality of life, there exists a gap in the way healthcare is delivered in the developed countries and the underdeveloped and developing countries (Faezipour and reducing resources (Coiera and Hovenga, 2018).…”