Decreasing out of pocket expenses through strengthening health service accessibility in Oclob, Cebu /
Jonathan Maratas Paghubasan.
- xiii, 137 leaves : color illustrations
Graduate School of Public and Development Management
Out of pocket health financing is one of the major contributors to healthcare financing among developing of third world countries (Shaikh & Singh, 2016) and Philippines is not an exception to this. Out of pocket health spending remained to be the most resorted health access among Filipinos in times of health and medical emergencies (Ulep & Dela Cruz, 2013). Over the years, the distribution of health spending remained to be unchanged, with private or out of pocket expenses still accounted for more than 60%, while government shares have been lower than 30%. Too much dependence to OOP expenditures may cause health and social challenges among members of the society such as compromising ones health, forgoing to access health services, or experiencing poverty (Ulep & Dela Crus, 2013). In totality, this study aimed to examine the structure of Philippine rural health services and their function of providing basic primary care to community members particularly in Oslob which included as assessment of the relationship of rural health care unit and out of pocket expenditures by community members. Moreover, the main objective of the study was to propose an institutional reform that will organize rural health units and improve their delivery of health care services that will lessen out of pocket expenses. Specifically, it aimed further to understand the current status of health service delivery vis a vis the social demographics of Oslon the extent of Out of Pocket Expenditure in Oslob and the common reason for Out of Pocket Expenditure in Oslob, how can a Health Systems Approach alleviate the Out of Pocket Expenditure in health sector of Oslob focusing on health service delivery, and what are the strengths, weaknesses and overall evaluation of a health system approach in the health service delivery of the health system of Oslob. The design adopted by the researcher reflects the interrelatedness of the building blocks of health systems and take focus in the access to medicines and supplies as well as health service delivery. Unlike in the urban set up and hospital setting, the rural set up revealed has lesser degree of Out of Pocket Expenditure in the relation to the degree of spending. But in comparison to the level of income, an average monthly expenses for health in the rural amounts between less than 1000 to less than 4000 pesos compared to their gross family income of around 4000 to 5000 per month, making the Out of Pocket Expense high. The reasons for expenses showed that most patients incurred expenses when seeking health services through unavailable laboratory test, diagnostics and medicines. All are basic services necessary in Out Patient services. The result formed the basis for formulating an intervention where basic services in the rural health unit should be tailored fitted to the epidemiologic trend in the locality as well as patients needs, by using health systems approach, diversifying health services availability supported with leadership and governance, financing, health workforce, and information and technology, Out Of Pocket Expenses will be reduced in the rural setting and avoid further adding impoverishing effects to the already impoverished people.
Healthservices administration--Oclob, Cebu, Philippines. Community health services--Oclob, Cebu, Philippines. Community health care.