Impact of universal health insurance coverage in Thailand on sales and market share of medicines for non-communicable diseases: an interrupted time series study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

In 2001, Thailand implemented the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), a public insurance system that aimed to achieve universal access to healthcare, including essential medicines, and to influence primary care centres and hospitals to use resources efficiently, via capitated payment for outpatient services and other payment policies for inpatient care. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of the UCS on utilisation of medicines in Thailand for three non-communicable diseases: cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Design

Interrupted time-series design, with a non-equivalent comparison group.

Setting

Thailand, 1998-2006.

Data

Quarterly purchases of medicines from hospital and retail pharmacies collected by IMS Health between 1998 and 2006.

In

SUBMITTER: Garabedian LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3533018 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature