Social impact bonds and their application to preventive health.

Social impact bonds and their application to preventive health. Aust Health Rev. 2013 Apr;37(2):199-204 Authors: Fitzgerald JL Abstract Although preventive health in Australia has been acknowledged as central to national health and wellbeing, efforts to reform the delivery of preventive health have to date produced limited results. The financing of preventive health at a national level is based on outcome- or performance-based funding mechanisms; however, delivery of interventions and activities at a state level have not been subjected to outcome-based funding processes. A new financing tool being applied in the area of social services (social impact bonds) has emerged as a possible model for application in the prevention arena. This paper explores key issues in the consideration of this funding model in the prevention arena. When preventive health is conceptualised as a merit good, the role of government is clarified and outcome measures fully articulated, social impact bonds may be a viable funding option to supplement core public health activities. PMID: 23575507 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Australian Health Review - Category: Hospital Management Authors: Tags: Aust Health Rev Source Type: research