Reproducible research practices, openness and transparency in health economic evaluations: study protocol for a cross-sectional comparative analysis.

INTRODUCTION: There has been a growing awareness of the need for rigorously and transparent reported health research, to ensure the reproducibility of studies by future researchers. Health economic evaluations, the comparative analysis of alternative interventions in terms of their costs and consequences, have been promoted as an important tool to inform decision-making. The objective of this study will be to investigate the extent to which articles of economic evaluations of healthcare interventions indexed in MEDLINE incorporate research practices that promote transparency, openness and reproducibility. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is the study protocol for a cross-sectional comparative analysis. We registered the study protocol within the Open Science Framework (osf.io/gzaxr). We will evaluate a random sample of 600 cost-effectiveness analysis publications, a specific form of health economic evaluations, indexed in MEDLINE during 2012 (n=200), 2019 (n=200) and 2022 (n=200). We will include published papers written in English reporting an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio in terms of costs per life years gained, quality-adjusted life years and/or disability-adjusted life years. Screening and selection of articles will be conducted by at least two researchers. Reproducible research practices, openness and transparency in each article will be extracted using a standardised data extraction form by multiple researchers, with a 33% random sample (n=200) extracted in duplicate. Information on general, methodological and reproducibility items will be reported, stratified by year, citation of the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement and journal. Risk ratios with 95% CIs will be calculated to represent changes in reporting between 2012-2019 and 2019-2022. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Due to the nature of the proposed study, no ethical approval will be required. All data will be deposited in a cross-disciplinary public repository. It is anticipated the study findings could be relevant to a variety of audiences. Study findings will be disseminated at scientific conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Estado burocrático e a formação em gestão em saúde em perspectiva histórica: semelhanças e diferenças entre Brasil e Espanha / Bureaucratic state and health management training from a historical perspective: similarities and differences between Brazil and Spain

Resumo Este artigo descreveu o contexto histórico da formação em gestão em saúde oferecida no Brasil e buscou identificar suas semelhanças e diferenças com aquela oferecida na Espanha. Adotou-se uma abordagem qualitativa da realidade e o método comparado foi empregado. Como fonte de dados, utilizaram-se a bibliografia científica, os documentos oficiais, que orientam as intervenções no campo da formação em gestão em saúde nos dois países, e a entrevista semiestruturada. As entrevistas foram realizadas com gestores selecionados pelo fato de estarem ocupando ou de terem ocupado cargos de gestão e que tenham participado da conformação da política de saúde, totalizando quatro gestores brasileiros e seis espanhóis. Apoiados na análise de conteúdo temática, os resultados se relacionaram com a categoria "institucionalidade" a partir dos seguintes temas: política de saúde e educação; política de formação de gestores; e profissionalização. Identificou-se como elemento comum o fato de tanto o Brasil quanto a Espanha adotarem a proteção à saúde como direito de cidadania por meio de sistemas públicos e universais de saúde. A diferença mais significativa diz respeito à cobertura populacional, alcançada na quase totalidade na Espanha no final dos anos 1990. Evidenciou-se a inexistência de uma política nacional de formação de gestores nos dois países, considerada central para a profissionalização da gestão em saúde. Ainda que o tema da profissionalização esteja presente no Brasil, na Espanha assumiu contornos institucionais distintos com avanços significativos em período recente.

Abstract The article described the historical context of health management training in Brazil and aimed at identifying similarities and differences between this training in Brazil and Spain, using qualitative approach and comparative method. Data sources included the scientific literature, official documents orienting interventions in health management training, and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted with managers selected on the basis of currently occupying or having occupied management positions, besides experience and participation in shaping policies in health, totaling four managers in Brazil and six in Spain. Based on thematic content analysis, the results were related to the category of "institutionality" according to the following themes: health and education policy, management training policy, and professionalization. A common element was that Brazil and Spain both adopt health protection as a civic right through universal public health systems. The most significant difference relates to population coverage, nearly complete in Spain in the late 1990s. The study showed the lack of a national training policy for managers in both countries and that such a policy is essential for professionalization in health management. Although the theme of professionalization exists in Brazil, in Spain it has distinct institutional characteristics, having achieved important recent progress.

Spain: Health System Review.

This analysis of the Spanish health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Overall health status continues to improve in Spain, and life expectancy is the highest in the European Union. Inequalities in self-reported health have also declined in the last decade, although long-standing disability and chronic conditions are increasing due to an ageing population. The macroeconomic context in the last decade in the country has been characterized by the global economic recession, which resulted in the implementation of health system-specific measures addressed to maintain the sustainability of the system. New legislation was issued to regulate coverage conditions, the benefits package and the participation of patients in the National Health System funding. Despite the budget constraints linked to the economic downturn, the health system remains almost universal, covering 99.1% of the population. Public expenditure in health prevails, with public sources accounting for over 71.1% of total health financing. General taxes are the main source of public funds, with regions (known as Autonomous Communities) managing most of those public health resources. Private spending, mainly related to out-of-pocket payments, has increased over time, and it is now above the EU average. Health care provision continues to be characterized by the strength of primary care, which is the core element of the health system; however, the increasing financing gap as compared with secondary care may challenge primary care in the long-term. Public health efforts over the last decade have focused on increasing health system coordination and providing guidance on addressing chronic conditions and lifestyle factors such as obesity. The underlying principles and goals of the national health system continue to focus on universality, free access, equity and fairness of financing. The evolution of performance measures over the last decade shows the resilience of the health system in the aftermath of the economic crisis, although some structural reforms may be required to improve chronic care management and the reallocation of resources to high-value interventions.

Spain: health system review

This analysis of the Spanish health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Overall health status continues to improve in Spain, and life expectancy is the highest in the European Union. Inequalities in self-reported health have also declined in the last decade, although long-standing disability and chronic conditions are increasing due to an ageing population. The macroeconomic context in the last decade in the country has been characterized by the global economic recession, which resulted in the implementation of health system-specific measures addressed to maintain the sustainability of the system. New legislation was issued to regulate coverage conditions, the benefits package and the participation of patients in the National Health System funding. Despite the budget constraints linked to the economic downturn, the health system remains almost universal, covering 99.1% of the population. Public expenditure in health prevails, with public sources accounting for over 71.1% of total health financing. General taxes are the main source of public funds, with regions (known as Autonomous Communities) managing most of those public health resources. Private spending, mainly related toout-of-pocket payments, has increased over time, and it is now above the EU average. Health care provision continues to be characterized by the strength of primary care, which is the core element of the health system; however, the increasing financing gap as compared with secondary care may challenge primary care in the long term. Public health efforts over the last decade have focused on increasing health system coordination and providing guidance on addressing chronic conditions and life style factors such as obesity. The underlying principles and goals of the national health system continue to focus on universality, free access, equity and fairness of financing. The evolution of performance measures over the last decade shows the resilience of the health system in the aftermath of the economic crisis, although some structural reforms may be required to improve chronic care management and the reallocation of resources to high-value interventions.

[Implementing strategies to improve the institutional governance of the Spanish National Health System]. / Implementando estrategias para mejorar el gobierno institucional del Sistema Nacional de Salud.

The 2008 economic crisis made the issue of good governance more present and visible, but the debate risks stalling in an academic and political discourse that barely exceeds the declarative. We acknowledge the existence of noteworthy documents from scientific medical societies and some institutional proposals that point towards promising changes. Viewing good governance as accountability, participation, transparency, intelligence and integrity, our objective is to identify the determinants of inaction and remove the barriers that prevent the adoption of rational and widely agreed-upon proposals. This led us: 1) to allocate the proposals to their appropriate governance level (macro, meso, micro and system environment) so as to more directly engage the agents of change; and 2) to highlight some decision nodes that can act as levers to catalyse selective transformations and to initiate the change processes. Taking into account the diversity of actors and scenarios, a top-down rational, integrated and reformist strategy for the whole Spanish National Health System does not seem likely or viable. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to promote changes, setting a targeted and reasoned agenda to visualise key issues and to enable multilevel and multidimensional thinking and advocacy of health-sector and society stakeholders.

[Chairman of Clinical Departments planification, organizational and management portfolio]. / Portafolios de planificación, organización y gestión del Jefe de Servicios Clínicos.

Portfolio methodology is widely applied to training, particularly in medical education and for medical trainees. Some Spanish Institutions (National University of Distance Learning and National School of Public Health) are using a seven dimension Portfolio in the field of Clinical Management, which could be used as conceptual framework and checklist for building up different documents for planning, programming and evaluating the new experiences of Clinical Units based on clinical management initiatives. This paper describe the Portfolio in short, takes into consideration its potential use, and concludes addressing the relevance of good governance and accountability for the medical professionalism.

Portafolios de planificación, organización y gestión del Jefe de Servicios Clínicos / Chairman of Clinical Departments planification, organizational and management portfolio

La metodología del portafolio se usa ampliamente, incluida la formación médica permanente y la formación de especialistas por el sistema de residencias. Algunas instituciones españolas (la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia y la Escuela Nacional de Sanidad) están aplicando un portafolio de siete dimensiones al ámbito de la Gestión Clínica, que podría ser utilizado como marco conceptual y lista de comprobación para elaborar diferentes documentos de planificación, programación, o evaluación en las nuevas experiencias innovadoras de Unidades de Gestión Clínica. Este artículo expone brevemente el Protocolo, considera sus potencialidades, y concluye señalando la importancia del buen gobierno y la rendición de cuentas en el nuevo profesionalismo médico

Portfolio methodology is widely applied to training, particularly in medical education and for medical trainees. Some Spanish Institutions (National University of Distance Learning and National School of Public Health) are using a seven dimension Portfolio in the field of Clinical Management, which could be used as conceptual framework and checklist for building up different documents for planning, programming and evaluating the new experiences of Clinical Units based on clinical management initiatives. This paper describe the Portfolio in short, takes into consideration its potential use, and concludes addressing the relevance of good governance and accountability for the medical professionalism

[Good governance of publicly-produced health services: ideas for moving forward]. / El buen gobierno de los servicios de salud de producción pública: ideas para avanzar.

The good performance of publicly-produced health services is of vital importance, well beyond the health sector. Taking into account the great complexity of the health services in the public sector due both to their public and professional nature, we identify seven Gordian Knots as being responsible for the most frequent problems of publicly produced health services in Spain and Latin America. From the concept of good governance we take its character as a normative and ethical benchmark and its potential to renew and invigorate the government of the public sector. From comparative analysis of publicly-produced health services in the best performing countries, we extract eight characteristics which contribute significantly to good performance. A final reflection is on the relevance of the importance of offsetting the potential hostility to a reformist impulse of the status-quo with alliances that strengthen public trust and the social contract between health professionals and citizens based on the values of public health systems.

El buen gobierno de los servicios de salud de producción pública: ideas para avanzar / Good governance of publicly-produced health services: ideas for moving forward

The good performance of publicly-produced health services is of vital importance, well beyond the health sector. Taking into account the great complexity of the health services in the public sector due both to their public and professional nature, we identify seven Gordian Knots as being responsible for the most frequent problems of publicly produced health services in Spain and Latin America. From the concept of good governance we take its character as a normative and ethical benchmark and its potential to renew and invigorate the government of the public sector. From comparative analysis of publicly-produced health services in the best performing countries, we extract eight characteristics which contribute significantly to good performance. A final reflection is on the relevance of the importance of offsetting the potential hostility to a reformist impulse of the status-quo with alliances that strengthen public trust and the social contract between health professionals and citizens based on the values of public health systems.

El buen desempeño de servicios de salud de producción pública tiene importancia vital, más allá del sector salud. Se aborda su buen gobierno y gestión a partir del marco conceptual de los valores e ideas del buen gobierno y de la experiencia de países más ejemplares, como referente práctico de buen desempeño. Se parte de la gran complejidad de los servicios públicos de salud, por su carácter público y su naturaleza profesional, y se identifican siete nudos gordianos de los servicios públicos de salud en España e Iberoamérica. Del concepto de buen gobierno se toma su carácter de referente ético y normativo y su potencial para renovar y dinamizar el gobierno de lo público. Del análisis comparado de los servicios de salud de producción pública se extraen ocho características que contribuyen a su buen desempeño. Se concluye con una reflexión sobre la importancia de compensar la posible hostilidad corporativa y gremial a un impulso reformista del statu-quo con alianzas que refuercen la confianza pública y el contrato social entre profesionales y ciudadanos en torno a los valores de los sistemas públicos de salud.

Adaptación de la escala Q-Labors a atención primaria / Adaptation of the Q-Labors scale to primary care

Objetivo: El objetivo de este trabajo es la adaptación y validación de la escala Q-Labors, elaborada para la evaluación de la calidad de vida laboral en hospitales, al contexto de la atención primaria. Material y métodos: Para una mejor adaptación al nuevo contexto, el equipo investigador, previa consulta a un grupo de 20 expertos en gestión, realizó cambios en los términos y en la redacción de algunos de los ítems e incluyó 2 más, de modo que la escala quedó compuesta por 58 frases a las que se puede responder mediante una escala tipo Likert con 5 opciones de respuesta. La escala, preparada en un formato que permitía la lectura óptica, fue entregada por correo interno a médicos, pediatras, DUE/ATS, auxiliares de enfermería, auxiliares administrativos y celadores del Área 10 de Madrid que reunían los requisitos de inclusión. Se estudió la fiabilidad por el método de las 2 mitades, el alfa de Cronbach y el coeficiente de correlación intraclase, así como la validez de criterio concurrente. La estructura factorial se estudió mediante un análisis de componentes principales, rotación varimax. Resultados: Contestaron 267 sujetos en total. Uno de los ítems fue eliminado, de modo que la nueva versión con 57 ítems obtuvo una fiabilidad de 0,9345 con la corrección de Spearman-Brown, un alfa de Cronbach de 0,9379, un coeficiente de correlación intraclase de 0,8757 y una validez de criterio concurrente de 0,745. En el análisis factorial se confirmaron 11 factores, que explican en esta ocasión el 63,4 por ciento de la varianza. Conclusión: Los resultados psicométricos obtenidos en este estudio proporcionan fiabilidad y validez adecuadas para el uso de la escala en atención primaria (AU)

Estrés laboral en el medio sanitario y estrategias adaptativas de afrontamiento / Occupational stress among health care workers and coping strategies

La experiencia de estrés, como demanda del medio, es muy frecuente y supone una respuesta adaptativa que contribuye al desempeño eficaz en muchas esferas de la vida. Sin embargo, si la experiencia es excesiva y el sujeto no se siente con recursos suficientes para afrontarla se producirán perturbaciones psicológicas y del comportamiento que finalmente pueden dar lugar a trastornos diversos. En el medio laboral, los niveles excesivos de estrés pueden tener consecuencias desfavorables, tanto para la organización como para el individuo. El estrés está determinado por las situaciones potencialmente estresantes, o factores ambientales, y las características del individuo que valora la situación y los recursos con que cuenta para afrontarla. Cuando las estrategias de afrontamiento puestas en marcha no son las adecuadas, el estrés tendrá resultados y consecuencias desfavorables, tanto en el ámbito individual como organizacional. Las estrategias adaptativas de afrontamiento pueden ser de tipo organizacional o individual. En la implantación de estrategias adaptativas de afrontamiento que supongan una mejora a escala organizacional, las propias organizaciones tienen un importante papel en la evitación de la aparición de estrés de sus trabajadores, ya que pueden intervenir en aspectos sobre los que el individuo tiene poco o ningún control. Por otro lado, también es importante el trabajo a escala individual encaminado a la adquisición, por parte de los trabajadores, de estrategias adaptativas tanto de carácter paliativo como instrumental (AU)