Promoting equity through health services

The provision of healthcare should be in relation to the need of care, but this is not always the case, as examples given in this chapter illustrate. The impact on equity in the utilization of care of need-based resource allocation versus recent market-oriented choice reforms and changes in reimbursement systems in primary care in Sweden are discussed. Examples are given of alternative ways of providing services in primary care in disadvantaged areas. Further, the chapter describes an applied example of the concept of proportionate universalism in child healthcare services, where extra postnatal home visits are provided in a disadvantaged area of Stockholm. Finally, the emerging needs of integrated care in an ageing population are contrasted against current health policy reform, which emphasizes freedom of choice of providers, and discussed.