"[This book is] the most authoritative assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of recent trends toward the commercialization of health care," says Robert Pear of The New York Times. This major study by the Institute of Medicine examines virtually all aspects of for-profit health care in the United States, including the quality and availability of health care, the cost of medical care, access to financial capital, implications for education and research, and the fiduciary role of the physician. In addition to the report, the book contains 15 papers by experts in the field of for-profit health care covering a broad range of topicsâ€"from trends in the growth of major investor-owned hospital companies to the ethical issues in for-profit health care. "The report makes a lasting contribution to the health policy literature." â€"Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.

This work deals with the current health policy environment, organization and delivery of health services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It discusses present financing means, and future financing methods such as a proposed national health insurance program and user-changes as well as important strategic issues. It is for healthcare directors, planners and strategists and will be of interest to experts and international investors in health system reorganization.

This volume examines the two models of health care reform - managed competition and internal markets - that are increasingly becoming the dominant paradigm in European and North American policy.