Forum

Rural district hospitals – essential cogs in the district health system – and primary healthcare re-engineering
Abstract
The re-engineering of primary healthcare (PHC) is regarded as an essential precursor to the implementation of National Health Insurance in South Africa, but improvements in the provision of PHC services have been patchy. The authors contend that the role of well-functioning rural district hospitals as a hub from which PHC services can be most efficiently managed has been underestimated, and that the management of district hospitals and PHC clinics need to be co-located at the level of the rural district hospital, to allow for proper integration of care and effective healthcare provision.
Authors' affiliations
Karl Willem du Pré le Roux, Zithulele Hospital, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Honorary Lecturer, Primary Health Care Directorate, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Rural Doctors Association of South Africa Executive Committee
Ian Couper, Professor and Director, Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Full Text

Keywords
Cite this article
Article History
Date published: 2015-05-06
Article Views
Full text views: 2781
Comments on this article
*Read our policy for posting comments here