Includes bibliographical references and index.

Political economy of strategic purchasing / Alexander S. Preker and April Harding -- Policy design in strategic purchasing / Alexander S. Preker, John C. Langenbrunner, and Paolo C. Belli -- The organizational structure of purchasers / Alexander S. Preker ... [et al.] -- Institutional environment / by Hernâan L. Fuenzalida-Puelma, Reinhard R. Hasslinger, and Alexander S. Preker -- Stewardship, governance, and management / Alexander S. Preker ... [et al.] -- Agency theory and its applications in health care / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- Doctors' and patients' utility functions / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- Economic models of doctors' behavior / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- Economic models of hospital behavior / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- Motivation and performance-related pay / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- Payment mechanisms and provider behavior / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- Supplier-induced demand and unnecessary care / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills -- The organization of publicly financed health care services / William Jack -- Contracting for medical care: providing incentives and controlling costs / William Jack -- Measuring efficiency in purchasing / Xingzhu Liu and Anne Mills.