Transforming Health in Turkey: An Evaluation of Two Decades of Reform

Turkey’s Health Transformation Programme (H.T.P.) has been instrumental in reshaping the country’s healthcare landscape, aiming at enhancing accessibility, efficiency, and quality of services. Despite generating significant academic and policy interest, there remains a gap in consolidated scholarly resources. This book addresses this need, synthesizing the existing research to provide a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of the H.T.P.’s impacts from multiple perspectives.

Structured into five main sections, the book delves into the H.T.P.’s policy changes, theoretical framework, and intended outcomes since its inception in 2003. It then assesses its effects through various lenses: From the government’s strategic planning and economic considerations to healthcare providers’ experiences and institutional dynamics and, finally, from the users’ perspective, evaluating access, quality, and social implications. Additionally, a comparative analysis with similar reforms worldwide offers lessons and future directions.

Targeting academics, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and students interested in health economics and policy analysis, this book aims to fill a critical gap in the literature, providing insights for ongoing and future reforms not only in Turkey but also in comparable global contexts.

Dr. Dilek Başar received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey) in 2006 and was awarded a master’s degree in economics by Hacettepe University in 2008. She received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics from the University of Sheffield in 2012. Her field of interests include health economics, labour economics, and gender economics. Dr. Başar is currently Professor at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Dr. Başar is on the board for Hacettepe University Health Economics and Health Policy Research and Application Center.

Dr. Selcen Öztürk completed her undergraduate education at Gazi University Department of Economics in 2006 and her master’s degree at Hacettepe University Department of Economics in 2008. Dr. Öztürk completed her Ph.D. in the field of Economics at the University of Sheffield in 2012. Since 2012 she has been working at Hacettepe University, where her field of interests include gender economics, regional economics, labour economics, and health economics. Dr. Öztürk is currently a professor at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Dr. Öztürk is on the board for Hacettepe University Health Economics and Health Policy Research and Application Center.

Dr. Dilek Başar received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey) in 2006 and was awarded a master’s degree in economics by Hacettepe University in 2008. She received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics from the University of Sheffield in 2012. Her field of interests include health economics, labour economics, and gender economics. Dr. Başar is currently Professor at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Dr. Başar is on the board for Hacettepe University Health Economics and Health Policy Research and Application Center.

Dr. Selcen Öztürk completed her undergraduate education at Gazi University Department of Economics in 2006 and her master’s degree at Hacettepe University Department of Economics in 2008. Dr. Öztürk completed her Ph.D. in the field of Economics at the University of Sheffield in 2012. Since 2012 she has been working at Hacettepe University, where her field of interests include gender economics, regional economics, labour economics, and health economics. Dr. Öztürk is currently a professor at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Dr. Öztürk is on the board for Hacettepe University Health Economics and Health Policy Research and Application Center.