Biomaterial Database

Core services and the New Zealand health reforms. 1995

M H Cooper

Central Institute of Technology, Upper Hutt, New Zealand.

The last 5 years have seen dramatic changes in health care provision in New Zealand. Amidst considerable controversy, the 14 Area Health Boards were abolished in July 1993. The State now funds 4 Regional Health Authorities (still on the basis of a weighted population formula) from Vote Health (the health sector's share of public expenditure). The role of the National Advisory Committee on Core Health and Disability Support Services and other bodies in determining the annual policy and service obligations faced by the 4 Regional Health Authorities is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009520	New Zealand	A group of islands in the southwest Pacific. Its capital is Wellington. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and circumnavigated by Cook in 1769. Colonized in 1840 by the New Zealand Company, it became a British crown colony in 1840 until 1907 when colonial status was terminated. New Zealand is a partly anglicized form of the original Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, new sea land, possibly with reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p842 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p378)
D012041	Regional Medical Programs	Coordination of activities and programs among health care institutions within defined geographic areas for the purpose of improving delivery and quality of medical care to the patients. These programs are mandated under U.S. Public Law 89-239.	Medical Program, Regional,Medical Programs, Regional,Program, Regional Medical,Programs, Regional Medical
D006291	Health Policy	Decisions, usually developed by government policymakers, for determining present and future objectives pertaining to the health care system.	Health Care Policies,Health Policies,Healthcare Policy,National Health Policy,Care Policies, Health,Health Care Policy,Health Policy, National,Healthcare Policies,National Health Policies,Policies, Health,Policies, Health Care,Policies, Healthcare,Policy, Health,Policy, Health Care,Policy, Healthcare
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013222	State Medicine	A system of medical care regulated, controlled and financed by the government, in which the government assumes responsibility for the health needs of the population.	National Health Service, British,Socialized Medicine,British Health Service, National,British National Health Service,Medicine, Socialized,Medicine, State,Service, British National Health
D015276	Health Care Rationing	Planning for the equitable allocation, apportionment, or distribution of available health resources.	Allocation of Health Care Resources,Allocation of Healthcare Resources,Rationing, Health Care,Healthcare Rationing,Healthcare Resources Allocation,Healthcare Resources Allocations,Rationing, Healthcare,Resources Allocation, Healthcare
D018166	Health Care Reform	Innovation and improvement of the health care system by reappraisal, amendment of services, and removal of faults and abuses in providing and distributing health services to patients. It includes a re-alignment of health services and health insurance to maximum demographic elements (the unemployed, indigent, uninsured, elderly, inner cities, rural areas) with reference to coverage, hospitalization, pricing and cost containment, insurers' and employers' costs, pre-existing medical conditions, prescribed drugs, equipment, and services.	Healthcare Reform,Health Care Reforms,Healthcare Reforms,Reform, Health Care,Reform, Healthcare,Reforms, Health Care,Reforms, Healthcare