Making choices in healthcare: the reality of scarcity

Processes are required to aid decision-makers in better managing existing resources in healthcare. To date, limited research has informed priority setting at the macro level, across broad service areas, within health organizations. As part of a participatory action research project, a macro-level resource allocation framework was developed and implemented in the Calgary Health Region (CHR). The approach relies on an expert panel of managers and clinicians who are charged with identifying, on the basis of evidence and local information, how resources might be reallocated to improve population well-being. The framework developed was seen as an improvement over historical allocation processes.