This report presents an overview of outreach services provided by health workers to remote and rural populations in different countries and contexts. It aims to highlight the potential for these alternative health service delivery models, such as mobile clinics and telemedicine, to enhance the attraction and retention of health workers in underserved areas and encourages further evaluations to be conducted in this area. The term "outreach services" is used to describe any type of health service that mobilizes health workers to provide services to the population or to other health workers, away from the location where they usually work and live. Outreach services are one of the possibilities to enhance access to health workers and to improve overall retention at country level. Better mobilization of urban health workers to serve remote or underserved areas is a strategy to improve access to health to the population in remote and rural areas. This collection of case-studies (seven case-studies in the Annexes) illustrates different physical or technology-based strategies that mobilize health workers from hospitals for outreach services. A wide variety of players can provide outreach services: hospitals or health institutions, professional boards, private companies, nongovernmental organizations or government agencies. This report also aims to engage policy-makers to adopt innovative approaches to attract and retain health professionals in underserved areas.

Accompanying CD-Rom has same title as book.

This Primer is about the 'how' of primary health care (PHC) and brings together best practices and knowledge that countries have generated through 'natural experiments' in strengthening PHC with the best available research evidence. Despite the progress made towards PHC globally, the concept is still often misunderstood, even within the public health community. The Primer offers a contemporary understanding of PHC and more conceptual clarity for strengthening PHC-oriented health systems. It does so by consolidating both scientific evidence and an extensive sample of practical experiences across countries for the needed evidence to address practical implementation issues. The Primer is organized in three parts. Part I explains the PHC approach, its history, core concepts and rationale, and draws out lessons for transformation. Part II addresses operational and strategic levers that make PHC work. It covers governance, financing and human resources for health, medicines, health technology, infrastructure and digital health, and their role in implementing change. Part III concludes with a cross-cutting view of the impacts of PHC on the health system, efficiency, quality of care, equity, access, financial protection and health systems resilience, including in the face of climate change.

This encyclopedia covers the definitions, concepts, methods, theories, and application of evidence-based pharmaceutical public health and health services research. It highlights why and how this field has a significant impact on healthcare. The work aims to synthesize baseline knowledge as well as the latest and cutting-edge research-based information. The encyclopedia collates information on public health, health services research, evidence-based pharmacy practice and its impacts on patients, decision-makers and consumers. This reference work discusses all aspects of policy and practice decisions on medicines use, access and pharmacy services by covering broad aspects related to pharmacy practice, public health and health services research. The aim is to develop high-quality content, which will be a must-read and be used as a reference source at all pharmacy and medical schools in the world. The health services research investigates the impact of social factors, organizational policies, financing systems, medical technologies and personal influence on access, quality and cost of healthcare concerning the quality of life of the patients. This reference work fundamentally promotes the evidence-based evaluation of healthcare services and thus will improve the better access and delivery of healthcare services. Also, pharmacy, medical and health services students and researchers need a broad understanding of pharmaceutical public health, evidence-based approaches to delivering care, changing professional and patient behavior and undertaking research in these areas. In general, there is a need to build research capacity and capability in the pharmacy profession. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Professor Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar, University of Huddersfield SECTION EDITORS: Filipa Alves da Costa, University of LisbonZubin Austin, University of TorontoDalia Dawood, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Andy Gray, University of Kwa Zulu-NatalRachele Hendricks-Sturrup, Duke Margolis Center for Health PolicyJason Hsu, Taiwan Medical UniversityRabia Hussain, Universiti Sains MalaysiaChristine Y. Lu, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care InstituteMohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim, Qatar UniversityPrasad Nishtala, University of BathDerek Charles Stewart, College of Pharmacy, Qatar University Fatima Suleman, University of Kwa Zulu-NatalZaheer-Ud-Din Babar, University of Huddersfield

With nearly half of the world's population living in a rural or remote area, meeting the health needs of rural populations, where over 80% of the world's extremely poor live, is imperative in achieving universal health coverage. Leaving no one behind means ensuring that health workers are available in rural and remote areas. Health, social and economic inequities remain cross-cutting challenges for rural populations. Rural populations tend to be poorer, have worse health outcomes, and experience higher rates of unemployment, underemployment and informal employment. It is estimated that about 51-67% of rural populations are without adequate access to essential health services , translating to about 2 billion people being left behind. In some countries, rural populations have access to numbers of health workers that are 10 times less than the numbers available to urban populations. The deficiency in numbers and mix of trained motivated health workers to provide the needed health services is a critical health system issue. This inequitable access to health workers and health services impacts health outcomes and increases socioeconomic disadvantages. Higher under-5, maternal and preventable mortality rates, increased morbidity, decreased life expectancy, and more costs to access distant care are seen across rural areas.