A quantitative study of regulatory policy texts in China′s healthcare sector from the perspective of policy instruments
10.3760/cma.j.cn111325-20221028-00914
- VernacularTitle:政策工具视角下我国医疗卫生行业监管政策文本的量化研究
- Author:
Dongyu XUE
1
;
Yuqing LIU
;
Yueping LI
;
Yue DAI
Author Information
1. 福建医科大学卫生管理学院,福州 350122
- Keywords:
Health policy;
Healthcare sector;
Regulatory policies;
Formulation subjects;
Implementation subjects;
Policy instruments;
Content analysis
- From:
Chinese Journal of Hospital Administration
2023;39(6):404-410
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To analyze the evolution of China′s national-level healthcare sector regulatory policies between 2003 and 2021, and explore the characteristics and patterns of the use of policy instruments at different stages, for references in policy optimization.Methods:The policy documents related to the regulation of the healthcare sector released by the central government were searched from 2003 to 2021 from the policy document database of the State Council using the keywords " medical" " regulation" and " health" " regulation". Based on the analysis framework of " formulation subject-implementation subject-policy tools", such methods as content analysis, social network analysis, and policy tool analysis were used to analyze policy documents and conduct descriptive analysis of data.Results:A total of 236 policies were included in the study.From 2003 to 2008, according to the time progression, a total of 27 documents were issued, with the State Council as the main formulation subject (77.78%, 21/27), and the government as the main implementation subject (100.00%, 27/27). 191 policy tools were used, and the composition ratios of supply-based, demand-based, and environment-based policy instruments were 21.46% (41/191), 30.37% (58/191), and 48.17% (92/191). From 2009 to 2017, a total of 48 policies were issued, the formulation subject was mostly the State Council (93.75%, 45/48), and the implementation subject was still mostly the government (100.00%, 48/48), but the proportion of institutions (25.00%, 12/48), industry organizations (43.75%, 21/48) and the society (37.50%, 18/48) has increased. 500 policy tools were used, and the composition ratios of supply-based, demand-based, and environment-based policy instruments were 17.40% (87/500), 32.00% (160/500), and 50.60% (253/500), respectively.From 2018 to 2021, a total of 161 documents were issued, with the formulation subjects featuring multiple subjects (38.51%, 62/161), with a decrease in the percentage of the State Council′s issuance (22.36%, 36/161), and 157 (97.52%) policies were implemented by the government. 1 140 policy tools were used, and the composition ratios of supply-based, demand-based, and environment-based policy instruments being 18.42% (210/1 140), 34.74% (396/1 140), and 46.84% (534/1 140), respectively.Conclusions:From 2003 to 2021, there was an upward trend in the number of policies issued in the field of healthcare sector regulation in China, and the subjects of formulation and implementation were diversified. But the use of different types of policy instruments was uneven.