ESHPM is a multidisciplinary organisation whose research activities are centred on complex issues in the domain of health care. The research programme has three main themes:
Research theme 1: Competition and regulation in health care
In this research theme the main focus lies on the correlation between the organisation and the performance of health care systems. From the economic, legal and political-administrative perspectives we explore the performance of health care systems with regard to quality, affordability, efficiency, solidarity and accessibility of health care. An important research topic, among others, is the influence of the free market system on health care. With this research, ESHPM aims to contribute significantly to a better organisation of health care systems throughout the world.
The research in this theme is primarily carried out by the research groups Health Care Governance, Health Insurance, Health Economics, and Law & Health Care.
Research theme 2: Quality and efficiency in health care
Research within this theme focuses mainly on the quality, the relative effectiveness and the efficiency of health care and health technologies. Primary objectives are quality assessment and evaluation of cost-effectiveness of health care interventions. Research outcomes provide useful insights that contribute to establish well-founded and more patient-oriented quality policy and more efficient package control. Furthermore, our research provides health insurers, health care organisations, care providers and patients with important information to support choice behaviour in the health care sector.
The research in this theme is primarily carried out by the research groups Health Care Governance, Health Services Management & Organisation, Health Economics, Law & Health Care, Health Technology and Assessment and Social-Medical Sciences.
Research theme 3: Management and organisation of health care delivery
All research in this theme is concerned with management and organisation in health care organisations and networks of health care organisations. Issues of special interest are quality and safety, organisation of health processes, human resource management (HRM), finances and ICT. Additionally, research topics include the (further) development of a methodology that aims to connect the methods and techniques used in several fields of study. The main goal is to equip health care organisations with useful insights and instruments to help them perform well in an increasingly complicated environment.
The research in this theme is primarily carried out by the research groups Health Care Governance and Health Services Management & Organisation.