Comparing financing mechanisms of psychiatric hospital care in Austria, Germany and Romania

Background/Objectives: It is widely acknowledged that appropriate mental health care requires an adequate balance between hospital and community care, as well as between medical and social services. In most countries, however, financing mechanisms of health and social services have grown historically into fragmented systems which are an obstacle to assuring adequate continuity of care in a patient-centred approach. Comparing different financing mechanisms of mental health care in different countries could sharpen the perspective on these issues. However, comparing different health care systems is a complex task…