The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa
Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) improves national health outcomes while addressing social inequalities in access to quality healthcare services. The district health system (DHS) is critical to the success of UHC in South Africa through the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. Family p...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2024-03-01
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| Series: | South African Family Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5831 |
| _version_ | 1797223646474797056 |
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| author | Shane D. Murphy Klaus von Pressentin Shabir A. Moosa |
| author_facet | Shane D. Murphy Klaus von Pressentin Shabir A. Moosa |
| author_sort | Shane D. Murphy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) improves national health outcomes while addressing social inequalities in access to quality healthcare services. The district health system (DHS) is critical to the success of UHC in South Africa through the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. Family physicians (FPs), as champions of primary care, are central to the DHS operation and implementation of NHI.
Methods: This was a qualitative exploratory study that used semi-structured interviews to explore FPs views and engagement on NHI policy and implementation in their districts. Ten FPs were included through purposive sampling.
Results: Most of the FPs interviewed were not engaged in either policy formulation or strategic planning. The NHI bill was seen as a theoretical ideology that lacked any clear plan. Family physicians expressed several concerns around corruption in governmental structures that could play out in NHI implementation. Family physicians felt unsupported within their district structures and disempowered to engage in rollout strategies. The FPs were able to provide useful solutions to health system challenges because of the design of their training programmes, as well as their experience at the primary care level.
Conclusion: Healthcare governance in South Africa remains located in national and provincial structures. Devolution of governance to the DHS is required if NHI implementation is to succeed. The FPs need to be engaged in NHI strategies, to translate plans into actionable objectives at the primary care level.
Contribution: This study highlights the need to involve FPs as key actors in implementing NHI strategies at a decentralised DHS governance level. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:40:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-376049f1703f401ebf96d34d6b7e7a67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:40:32Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-376049f1703f401ebf96d34d6b7e7a672024-04-04T09:01:58ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042024-03-01661e1e1010.4102/safp.v66i1.58314404The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South AfricaShane D. Murphy0Klaus von Pressentin1Shabir A. Moosa2Department of Family Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgDivision of Family Medicine, Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care, University of Cape TownDepartment of Family Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgBackground: Universal health coverage (UHC) improves national health outcomes while addressing social inequalities in access to quality healthcare services. The district health system (DHS) is critical to the success of UHC in South Africa through the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. Family physicians (FPs), as champions of primary care, are central to the DHS operation and implementation of NHI. Methods: This was a qualitative exploratory study that used semi-structured interviews to explore FPs views and engagement on NHI policy and implementation in their districts. Ten FPs were included through purposive sampling. Results: Most of the FPs interviewed were not engaged in either policy formulation or strategic planning. The NHI bill was seen as a theoretical ideology that lacked any clear plan. Family physicians expressed several concerns around corruption in governmental structures that could play out in NHI implementation. Family physicians felt unsupported within their district structures and disempowered to engage in rollout strategies. The FPs were able to provide useful solutions to health system challenges because of the design of their training programmes, as well as their experience at the primary care level. Conclusion: Healthcare governance in South Africa remains located in national and provincial structures. Devolution of governance to the DHS is required if NHI implementation is to succeed. The FPs need to be engaged in NHI strategies, to translate plans into actionable objectives at the primary care level. Contribution: This study highlights the need to involve FPs as key actors in implementing NHI strategies at a decentralised DHS governance level.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5831family physiciannhinational health insuranceuniversal health coverageuhcdistrict health systemdhsgovernance |
| spellingShingle | Shane D. Murphy Klaus von Pressentin Shabir A. Moosa The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa South African Family Practice family physician nhi national health insurance universal health coverage uhc district health system dhs governance |
| title | The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa |
| title_full | The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa |
| title_short | The views of family physicians on National Health Insurance in Gauteng Province, South Africa |
| title_sort | views of family physicians on national health insurance in gauteng province south africa |
| topic | family physician nhi national health insurance universal health coverage uhc district health system dhs governance |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5831 |
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