The reconfiguration of clinical services

"This paper aims to help those planning and implementing major clinical service reconfigurations ensure that change is as evidence-based as possible. It investigates the five key drivers – quality, workforce, cost, access and technology"

The reconfiguration of clinical services: What is the evidence?
C Imison, L Sonola, M Honeyman, S Ross
The King's Fund
November 2014

Read more here.

What is the evidence on the economic impacts of integrated care?

"Evidence that is available points to a positive impact of integrated care programmes on the quality of patient care and improved health or patient satisfaction outcomes but uncertainty remains about the relative effectiveness of different approaches and their impacts on costs."

What is the evidence on the economic impacts of integrated care?
E Nolte, E Pitchforth
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, World Health Organization
2014

Read more here.

Unlocking the power of information

"Part of the Smart Guides to Engagement series, this guide helps clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and service providers understand how information is the foundation for effective engagement with patients so that they can become partners in decision-making about their own health and care."

Smart guides to engagement: Unlocking the power of information
M Duman
NHS Networks
December 2013

Read more here.

The role of charging in healthcare

"There is growing evidence that the NHS is facing a funding challenge as demand grows and the level of funding available declines."

The cost of our health: the role of charging in healthcare
T Cawston, C Corrie
Reform
November 2013

Read more here.

NHS in transition: key questions

"The most costly care – typically hospital based care – should ideally be used only when necessary, and non-hospital based alternatives should be encouraged, provided that they can help patients for less cost."

NHS in transition: key questions
Nuffield Trust
November 2013

Read more here.

International profiles of health care systems

"This publication presents overviews of the health care systems of Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Each overview covers health insurance, public and private financing, health system organization and governance, health care quality and coordination, disparities, efficiency and integration, use of information technology and evidence-based practice, cost containment, and recent reforms and innovations."

International profiles of health care systems
Edited by S Thomson, R Osborn, D Squires, M Jun
The Commonwealth Fund
November 2013

Read more here.

Development of a framework to estimate the cost of opioid dependence

"This report sets out the findings of a targeted review of the harms of opioid dependence, and an assessment of the existing estimates of the costs of opioid dependence."

Development of a framework to estimate the cost of opioid dependence
E Disley, A Mulcahy, M Pardal, J Rubin, K Ruggeri
RAND Europe, prepared for Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals
November 2013

Read more here.

Proactive case management using the community virtual ward and the Devon Predictive Model

"Age-related chronic and complex medical conditions account for the largest and growing share of health care budgets in all industrialised nations."

South Devon and Torbay: Proactive case management using the community virtual ward and the Devon Predictive Model
L Sonola, V Thiel, N Goodwin, DL Kodner
The King's Fund
October 2013

Read more here.

Healthcare technologies, quality improvement programs and hospital organizational culture in Canadian hospitals

"The usage of quality improvement programs is related to the ability to implement technology and the culture within a hospital."

Healthcare technologies, quality improvement programs and hospital organizational culture in Canadian hospitals
RK Tyagi, L Cook, J Olson, J Belohlav
BMC Health Services Research, 2013, 13:413

Read more here.

Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing surgical and endoscopic drainage

"In obstructive chronic pancreatitis, surgical drainage is highly cost-effective compared with endoscopic drainage from a UK NHS perspective."

Trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis comparing surgical and endoscopic drainage in patients with obstructive chronic pancreatitis
P Laramee, D Wonderling, DL Cahen, MG Dijkgraaf, DJ Gouma, MJ Bruno, SP Pereira,
BMJ Open, 2013, 3:e003676

Read more here.

Exploring the system-wide costs of falls in older people in Torbay

"This paper uses Torbay’s unique patient-level linked data set to explore the cost of the care pathway for older people admitted to hospital as a result of a fall by tracking their care costs in the 12 months before and after their fall."

Exploring the system-wide costs of falls in older people in Torbay
Y Tian, J Thompson, D Buck, L Sonola
The King's Fund
August 2013

Read more here.

Health and homelessness

"This report is based on consultation with six services providing health care to homeless people, 17 case studies showing the range of presenting health issues and use of health services by homeless people, and analysis of five case studies illustrating the financial impact of this pattern of service use."

Health and homelessness: understanding the costs and role of primary care services for homeless people
St Mungo's
July 2013

Read more here.

NICE support for commissioning and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

"This document reviews the potential cost impact and implications for commissioners and service providers of the NICE quality standard for Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder."

QS39 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: NICE support for commissioning
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
July 2013

Read more here.

Better procurement, better value, better care

"The more transparent we can make procurement performance, the more it will drive behaviours to improve."

Better procurement, better value, better care: a procurement development programme for the NHS
Department of Health, NHS England
August 2013

Read more here.

Towards commissioning excellence

"But if commissioning is to deliver better quality and outcomes for patients and better value for taxpayers, it must be taken to a new level – clinically-led, professional and streamlined, underpinned by great commissioning support services."

Towards commissioning excellence: a strategy for commissioning support services
NHS England
June 2013

Read more here.

Investment in patient information improves outcomes and reduces costs

"If we fail to provide patients with the information and support they need, we compromise all three dimensions of quality care – patient experience, patient safety and clinical effectiveness."

Making the case for information: the evidence for investing in high quality health information for patients and the public
Patient Information Forum
June 2013

Read the full report here or the executive summary here.

The Patient Information Forum has produced three summary briefings to accompany this report:
PiF Briefing Summary: Health information specialists
PiF Briefing Summary: Policy makers and commissioners
PiF Briefing Summary: Health professionals

Physical activity: brief advice for adults in primary care

"Inactivity costs the NHS an estimated at £1.06 billion based on national cases of CHD, stroke, diabetes, colorectal cancer and breast cancer (all conditions that are potentially preventable or manageable through physical activity)."

Physical activity: brief advice for adults in primary care
NICE public health guidance 44
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
May 2013

Read more here.

Value based health care: an introduction

Monitor, in partnership with HFMA, are holding a series of webinars on the theme of value based health care. The first of these, Delivering value based health care - an introduction, took place on Wednesday 1 May 2013. Watch a recording here.

Tool to link health outcomes and expenditure

"NHS England has commissioned Public Health England to develop a tool which helps commissioners to link health outcomes and expenditure."

Access this tool for commissioners here.

Improving patient flow

"The Health Foundation created the Flow Cost Quality improvement programme to focus on the relationship between patient flow, costs and outcomes in two NHS hospital trusts: South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust."

Improving patient flow: learning report
The Health Foundation
April 2013

Read more here.

Case studies available here.