Healthcare Systems Regulation and Traditional Medical Practice: A Comparative Analysis of Models

Abstract

Traditional Medical practice has witnessed a tremendous growth in the past few decades, and has attracted multidisciplinary academic interest. The increasing acceptance of an alternative health care system has raised the question of the appropriate method of regulation suited to the peculiar features of this system of care. This paper evaluates different models of health care system regulation with an emphasis on the feasibility of each system for alternative or traditional medical practice. The focal argument is that the need to ensure access to diverse and qualitative healthcare services must punctuate the choice of an appropriate regulatory model. The concluding arguments rest on the value of flexibility in policy decisions regarding alternative or traditional medical practice.

Keywords: Complementary/Alternative Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Health systems Regulation

JEL Classification: I18, I10