Rethinking informal payments by patients in Europe: An institutional approach

Over the last two decades or so, a growing literature reveals how patients in many countries around the world, particularly in the former communist countries and other low and middle income countries, use informal payments to seek either better treatment [1 –6], an additional service [7], due to their fear of being denied treatment [5,8], because the “doctor demanded payment” [4], because there is a tradition of giving a gift to express gratitude [4,5,9] or just “because everybody does it” [4]. Given that some 35–60% of patients make inform al payments in Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine [10], tackling this phenomenon can be seen as central and essential to building a healthcare system which is not based on bribes and corruption, and provides more equal access [11–13].
Source: Health Policy - Category: Health Management Authors: Source Type: research