This website is managed by the network Switching International Health Policies and Systems (SWIHPS) and aims to share visions, expertise and experience on health care systems with policy makers, managers of health services, health care providers and health system researchers.

Our health systems framework complements the six building blocks of the WHO by stressing that:  

• Health systems should focus on outcomes and goals.
• Values and principles are important.
• Service delivery is a core element.
• Health systems interact with the population and with the contexts in which they are embedded.

An indepth explanation about the utility of this framework and its separate components is published in:

van Olmen J, Criel B, Van Damme W, Marchal B, Van Belle S, Van Dormael M et al.: Analysing Health Systems to Make Them Stronger. Antwerpen: Institute of Tropical Medicine; 2010. [Van Lerberghe W, Kegels G, and De Brouwere V: Studies in Health Services Organisation & Policy] PDF WORD Framework