Hybridisation of health services

Within public service framework provision of health has is one of the key areas of activity for the governments. On the other hand, health policy is also an area with considerably national variation which gives differentiated... [ view full abstract ]

Within public service framework provision of health has is one of the key areas of activity for the governments. On the other hand, health policy is also an area with considerably national variation which gives differentiated emphasis on the role of governments, private enterprises and civil society. The recent developments in state centric Nordic societies signify changes in which governments see the provision of the health services. For instance, the separation of organizing and delivery of health services have opened up the provision of health to private providers in Sweden. The developments of health policy change have been slower in Finland. The ageing of population puts pressure on the reform efforts, but the reform efforts have been stalled due to political controversies over the introduction of market competition and local government powers. The introduction of new regional level of government and inclusion of private and third sector providers within the public delivery system seems to form a backbone of a new more hybridized system of health service delivery.

Hybridisation of health services causes need for new forms to governing them. Incoming hybridized system of health service delivery makes existing governing models poorly functional. Many actors (business firms, public agencies and non-profit stakeholders) and different action fields (local, regional and national) offer opportunity for co-desing, co-development and co-production in health services. Hybrid patterns reform regulation towards forms of hybrid governance. It may be some kind of mixture between public and private but still its’ own entity.