The volume brings together 16 newly-commissioned studies from leading experts in health studies, in particular: policy, economics, health care management and health services research. International in perspective and scope, it draws on empirical evidence from East and West Europe, Canada, New Zealand and the Middle East.

Contents: Section I: Health Policy and Technology Assessment: Health technology assessment: more questions than answers for clinical practice?, Mattia J. Gilmartin, David Melzer and Pamela H. Donaghy; NICE works? A case study of the local implementation of NICE guidance, Richard Gleave; The effect of the United Kingdom neonatal staffing study results on the prior views of neonatal doctors: a Bayesian analysis, Gareth J. Parry and Janet S. Tucker. Section II: Policy and Performance: Hospital-physician relationships: comparing administrators' and physicians' perceptions, Thomas G. Rundall; The invisible costs of repeated cycles of organizational restructuring: a theory of (dis)engagement, Jason Nickels; Themes for a system of medical error disclosure: promoting patient safety using a partnership of provider and patient, Bryan A. Liang; Accountability in Canadian health care systems: fitting the pieces of the puzzle together, Carl-Ardy Dubois and Jean-Louis Denis; Building an organizational framework for effective clinical governance, Elaine Moss and Peter Totterdill. Section III: International Policy Innovation: Roemer's Law: does it apply in Greece?, Natasa V. Daniilidou, Kyriakos Souliotis and John Kyriopoulos; Reflections of globalization on public health, Nesrin Çilingiroglu and Hilal Özcebe; Opportunity knocks: 10 years of health care reform, strategic policy implementation and Maori health development in New Zealand, Lynette Stewart, Louise Kuraia and Karleen Everitt; Reorganizing health care delivery in hospitals: structure and processes to serve quality, Federico Lega; Access to pharmaceuticals in transition countries, Maria M. Hofmarcher and Christine Lietz; Health insurance in Iran: opportunities and complexities, Mehdi Russel. Section IV: Organizing Innovation: Improving the operation of operating theatres: data triangulation, change management and action research in operating theatres, R.J. Boaden and J. Bamford; Job satisfaction and the modernization pr