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Research was conducted to examine the effects of competition on the prices posted by medical service sellers. The competition in supply within a tightly regulated market was introduced by the UK National Health Service in its 1989 reforms. The hypothesis that despite regulation, market forces may have an effect on price was tested using the General Practice Fundholders. Results demonstrate the impact of market forces on price and the non-compliance on regulatory rules.

Evaluates the effects of purchaser mix, market competition and trust status on hospital productivity within the National Health Service (NHS) internal market. Three main areas whereby the NHS internal market might be expected to influence hospital productivity; Ways of interpreting the fact that high proportions of host district patients are associated with lower cost; Conclusion.

Discusses the use of antiretrovirals in treating HIV and AIDS in South Africa as of June 2000. Status of its price; Effort made to reduce the drug prices.

Objectives: Deinstitutionalisation and shortage of psychiatric beds worldwide has led to extensive research into the risk factors and interventions associated with rapid and recurrent admission to hospital. Little research of this nature has taken place in South Africa, particularly with regard to acute hospital admissions. This study attempted primarily to assess the effect of length of stay and administration of depot antipsychotics in hospital on time to readmission., Design: A retrospective cohort of 180 admissions was followed up for 12 months, after an index discharge, by means of multiple hospital and community-based record reviews. Each readmission was analysed as an event using a survival analysis model., Setting: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Gauteng., Subjects: A random sample of patients admitted during a 6-month period in 1996., Outcome Measures: Time to readmission., Results: Two hundred and eighty-four admissions were analysed. The only factor that provided a significant protective effect was being married or cohabiting (P = 0.015). Clinic attendance showed a slight protective effect early on but conferred a significantly higher risk of readmission on those who had been out of hospital for a long period (P = 0.001). Only 21% of discharged patients ever attended a clinic. The overall risk of readmission was significantly higher in the first 90 days post discharge., Conclusions: The lack of impact of length of hospital stay and use of depot neuroleptics on time to readmission may indicate that patients are being kept for appropriate duration and that the most ill patients are receiving depot medication. Several sampling and statistical artefacts may explain some of our findings. These results confirm the worldwide difficulty in finding consistent and accurate predictors of readmission. Low rates of successful referral to community aftercare need to be addressed before their effectiveness can be reasonably assessed. The inherent instability of the post-discharge period is a potential area for further investigation and intensive management.