Designing safer health care through responsive regulation

Self-regulation by the health professions, while improving, is no longer enough; external drivers for safer health care include governments, funders and consumers. Enforced self-regulation is often more promising than a "command and control" strategy. Research evidence on the responsive re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMedical journal of Australia Vol. 184; no. S10; p. S56
Main Authors Healy, Judith, Braithwaite, John
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Australia 15.05.2006
Subjects
Australia
Government Regulation
Guideline Adherence
Hospitals - standards
Humans
Medical Errors - prevention & control
Models, Organizational
Organizational Culture
Persuasive Communication
Quality Assurance, Health Care - legislation & jurisprudence
Quality Assurance, Health Care - organization & administration
Quality Assurance, Health Care - standards
Safety Management - legislation & jurisprudence
Safety Management - organization & administration
Safety Management - standards
Australia
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Summary:Self-regulation by the health professions, while improving, is no longer enough; external drivers for safer health care include governments, funders and consumers. Enforced self-regulation is often more promising than a "command and control" strategy. Research evidence on the responsive regulatory pyramid and its options offers lessons for health care policy makers and managers. Start at the base of the regulatory pyramid - try persuasion first; move up the pyramid to secure compliance, and then be willing to move back down. Use existing capacities and structures, and if possible avoid new bureaucracies of control.
ISSN:0025-729X
DOI:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00364.x