International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

“Wood Already Touched by Fire is not Hard to Set Alight”; Comment on “Constraints to Applying Systems Thinking Concepts in Health Systems: A Regional Perspective from Surveying Stakeholders in Eastern Mediterranean Countries”

Document Type : Commentary

Author
Irene Akua Agyepong
Health Policy, Planning and Management Department, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Julius Global Health, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
10.15171/ijhpm.2015.34
Abstract
A major constraint to the application of any form of knowledge and principles is the awareness, understanding and acceptance of the knowledge and principles. Systems Thinking (ST) is a way of understanding and thinking about the nature of  health systems and how to make and implement decisions within health systems to maximize desired and minimize undesired effects. A major constraint to applying ST within health systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) would appear to be an awareness and understanding of ST and how to apply it. This is a fundamental constraint and in the increasing desire to enable the application of ST concepts in health systems in LMIC and understand and evaluate the effects; an essential first step is going to be enabling of a wide spread as well as deeper understanding of ST and how to apply this understanding.
Keywords
Health Systems
Systems Thinking (ST)
Decision-Making
Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC)
Subjects
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  • Received Date 28 January 2015
  • Revised Date 15 February 2015
  • Accepted Date 13 February 2015
  • First Published Date 01 March 2015
  • Published Date 01 March 2015