Question

What is accountability arrangement? I have to choose a policy area which is health care and so I have to choose an accountability arrangement that fits my policy and discuss the challenges that its face

Answer 1

Accountability arrangement is a complex and specialised actiity like the regulation and supervision of financial market as it calls for multiple accountability mechanism.Accountability arrangement falls into different categories-

• It refers to reporting before and agency acts.
• It refers to giving reason for and explaining the actions taken.
• Procedural accountability refers to requirements related to the processes that must be followed.
• Substantive, or functional, accountability requires that the regulatory and supervisory actions taken be justified by the agency’s objectives.
• Personal accountability refers to the discharge of responsibilities delegated to individuals in the agency.

Health care is not only actor in the syatem that is accountable for or involved in creating the conditions for health.Different clinical care providers are de facto stewards of a community 's helth and are mandated or otherwise charged with health care duties.The desirable effects of different interventions on at least one outcome,with moderate or high certainity evidence and no moderate or high certainity evidence of undesirable effects.

Assessing and measuring accountability at any level (local, state, or national) and holding organizations accountable require the following four elements:

• An identified body with a clear charge to accomplish particular steps toward health goals.

• Ensuring that the body has the capacity to undertake the required activities.

• Measuring what is accomplished against the identified body’s clear charge.

• The availability of tools to assess and improve effectiveness and quality

Decision‐making about what is covered by health insurance

Placing restrictions on the medicines reimbursed by health insurance systems probably decreases the use of and spending on these medicines.

Stakeholder participation in policy and organisational decisions

Participatory learning and action groups for women probably improve newborn survival
Consumer involvement in preparing patient information probably improves the quality of the information and patient knowledge.

Disclosing performance information to patients and the public

Disclosing performance data on hospital quality to the public probably encourages hospitals to implement quality improvement activities.
Disclosing performance data on individual healthcare providers to the public probably leads people to select providers that have better quality ratings .

Some of the ways of organiing authority and accountability for health policies are-

• collaboration between local health agencies and other local government agencies may lead to little or no difference in physical health or quality of life.
• placing restrictions on the medicines reimbursed by health insurance systems probably decreases the use of and spending on these medicines.
• it is uncertain if fraud prevention, detection and response interventions reduce healthcare fraud and related spending .

The different framework for accountability is needed that includes

• Agreement among implementing agencies, stakeholders, and those holding them accountable on specific plans of action for targeting health priorities.

• Holding of implementing agencies or stakeholders accountable for execution of the agreed-on plans (strategies, interventions, policies, and processes).

• Measurement of execution and outcomes of the agreed-on plans and agreement on revisions to a plan of action.

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