The Supply of Health Services

Supply of health care goods and services is different from other commodities becasue it is composed of MULTIPLE INPUTS.Cars need steel, rubber, wires and garments and uses labor to have an end product - a CARHealth care goods and services are inputs that need to be combined with each other to produce an end product - BETTER HEALTH

For a sick person to be healthy, he needs the following inputs:An expert advice from a physician/health personnelHospital/clinic facilitiesPharmaceuticalsMedical technologyManpower - MD, RN, RM, DMD, PTHealth infrastructure - Facilities needed to carry out the delivery of health services (clinics, hospitals, health centers)Drugs - OTC, prescription, herbal drugsOthers - Other inputs which may be required to produce health like research and trainings.

ManpowerHighly-skilled manpower is the most important input in the supply of health services.Often there is a trade-off between abundant supply and high quality manpower.Physicians play a crucial role.80% of all spending are influenced by physicians' decisions.

Role of physicians1. They recommend a particular course of action for their patients- Patients don't have perfect knowledge of their conditions and would require the expertise of health professionals.2. Physicians while making crucial decisions for the patients, also participate in actual delivery of health services- Surgery- Giving immunizations- ConsultationsUnlike other inputs, manpower takes a long time to produce.It takes years to be a typical specialist physician pratitioner in the Philippines from high school onwards.1. 4 years Pre-med2. 4 years Medical schooling3. 2 years Internship, Board review and exam4. 3-5 Residency5. 2-3 year Sub-specialty training/Fellowship

Highly specialized manpower ten to self-regulate.PRC (Pofessional Regulation Commission)Different specialty organizationsRegulatory boardsSpecialist physician groups "auto-regulate", meaning they regulate the production of themselves. Thsi may be used to: - Assure the quality and skills of specialists - Distribute specialist manpower more effectively and efficiently (in different parts of the country) - "ward off" potential competitors in a certain geographic medical practice area.

Health FacilitiesHospitals, Clinics, Labs, Ambulatory Centers etc.SUpply of Hospital Services - Service Capacities - Geographic Distribution - Emphasis on Technology - Hospital Networking