Global principles for better healthcare.

This article provides an overview of a report by NERA Economic Consulting based on the outcomes of the health reform experiences of over 25 countries. The report is organised around four widely accepted 'global principles' governing the planning, funding and provision of healthcare services: fair access, efficiency, responsiveness to society and innovation. These principles, in turn, provide guidance for addressing problems that commonly plague national healthcare systems, such as balancing funding constraints against demand pressures and maintaining fair access for all to healthcare whilst responding to ever more demanding patients and rising expectations. Whilst the global principles cannot provide a formula for dealing with the array of problems facing various countries, they can help healthcare decision-makers recognise the necessary trade-offs they must face, take the long-term view towards problem-solving and work toward addressing disparate needs in a consistent manner.