Occupational Medicine & Health Affairs
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: The cost benefit analysis and the estimation of resources which are important for implementation of health policies are still insufficient. The design and proposal of health policies are based mainly on the epidemiological work method without economic assessment and real resources estimation. Objectives: The main research goal of our study was to verify way how to use an economic feasibility study in the field of public health services. Methods: The model of public health service which was selected was the occupational health service for 16-thousand employees. Results: The results of the study shows that an economic feasibility study is tool which is very good suitable in the field of public health. However, an economic feasibility study could be tailored for specific health policy. Health demand and available resources are met in the process of health policy planning. These two factors are important for implementation of health policy and health service into the practice. This hypothesis confirms result of the study which set costs in the range from 877 979 to 8 034 858 EURO and implementation of the occupational health service never began because of costs which were required. Conclusion: An occupational health service is fund from employer. Because of that the total amount of resources are limited and from the time when occupational health services were established and laws came in to the force employers have fought against those laws. For employer, an occupational health service is only ?economic and administrative weight?.

Biography

Letanovsky P has completed his Master of Science in Public Health from Trnava University in 2003 and he is studying his doctoral studies at St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences in Bratislava. He was director of Health Promotion Department of the Ministry of Health, Public Health Authority and coordinator of the Occupational Health Service Program in the Ministry of Defense. He has practical experience in the field of health policy, public health threats and health services management and administration. He worked as a coordinator in cooperation between WHO and Slovak republic in the field of chronic diseases prevention.