“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

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

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.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 28 January 2015
  • Revise Date: 15 February 2015
  • Accept Date: 13 February 2015
  • First Publish Date: 01 March 2015

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