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Priority Setting in a Canadian Long-Term Care Setting: A Case Study Using Program Budgeting and Marginal Analysis*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Craig Mitton*
Affiliation:
Centre for Health and Policy Studies, University of Calgary
Cam Donaldson
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle upon Tyne/University of Calgary
Pat Manderville
Affiliation:
Headwaters Health Authority
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Craig R. Mitton, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 4N1. ([email protected])

Abstract

Canadian health regions are required to set priorities and allocate resources within a limited funding envelope. Program budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA) was piloted in continuing care in Claresholm, Alberta, with the aim of improving overall benefit from available resources. A marginal-analysis expert panel was used to assess options for continuing-care delivery. Inputs into the decision-making process included evidence from the literature, regional and provincial reports, program budgeting information, and local knowledge. Recommendations included implementing adult, day-and-night support programs and converting long-term beds to convalescent beds. Changes were funded through allocating provincial Broda funding and altering nursing assistant and physiotherapy activity. PBMA was demonstrated to be an effective framework in aiding decision makers with redesigning services in Claresholm. This case study is one of several which indicate PBMA to be a valuable aid to priority setting in health care service provision.

Résumé

Les régions canadiennes de santé doivent établir des priorités et affecter des ressources à même une enveloppe budgétaire restreinte. La Budgétisation des programmes et l'analyse différentielle (BPAD) a fait l'objet d'un programme de soins continus à Claresholm, en Alberta. Le but était d'améliorer et de profiter pleinement des ressources disponibles. Un groupe composé d'experts en analyse différentielle a évalué les options disponibles pour la distribution des soins continus. Plusieurs suggestions se sont ajoutées au processus de prise de décisions : des témoignages provenant de la littérature, des rapports régionaux et provinciaux, des renseignements sur la programmation budgétaire et des connaissances de base. La mise en oeuvre de programmes d'appui jour et nuit des adultes et la transformation de lits à long terme en lits convalescents faisaient partie des recommandations. Les changements ont reçu un financement par l'entremise de l'affectation provinciale « Broda » et par la réfection des infirmiers auxiliaires et des activités de physiothérapie. Le projet a démontré que BPAD est un cadre efficace qui peut aider les décideurs a modifié les services à Claresholm. Cette étude de cas se joint à plusieurs autres études démontrant que BPAD soutient l'établissement de priorités en matière d'affectation de services de santé.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2003

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Footnotes

*

The authors would like to thank Francesco Mosaico, University of Alberta, and Kris Aksomitis, University of Calgary, for their assistance on this project. The authors would also like to acknowledge the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

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