Lifetime health-monitoring pilot program in Sisian town, Armenia

Abstract

Armenian health care system is oversized, expensive to operate and that is not capable of improving the health status. Because central and local government resources are administered through hospitals, there is attendance for hospital officials to prioritise their own needs above those of primary care facilities. [ 1] “There is a decline in outpatient services from 8 visit per person in 1989 to 5.0 in 1994, for home visits from 0.8 per person in 1985 to 0.33 in 1994.” [2]. UTILISATION OF PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE UNITS IN ARMENIA * YEARS 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Total # of outpatient visits 28, 045 27, 930 26,871 22,684 20,580 18,868 visit per person per year 8 7.8 7.4 6.1 5.5 5 * data source: Statistic Department of Ministry of Health Within my business trips in regions of Armenia I have found that there is even higher uncertainty and confusion among community leaders than before on how health system will be organizes and managed in a most effective and efficient way? The complexity of payment methods is extreme and they unfortunately do not simply divide into Fee For Services (FFS), capitation ,or salary. When setting up a particular payment model, an attempt must be made to balance the population prospective with health care facility’s interests.