A study of the health care system in Manatee County under direction of the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership is nearing completion. The research project, underway since March, is a system-wide study of the factors that affect the efficient and effective delivery of health care services within the county. It was undertaken in response to concerns that, as the county’s health-care system has grown more complex and sophisticated over the years, it has failed to provide expected benefits in terms of efficiency, affordability and accessibility.

The study is being conducted by The Center for Research in Healthcare Systems and Policy (CRHSP) at University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, in collaboration with the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership. It is funded by a $267,000 grant from the Manatee Chamber Foundation.

Dr. Neset Hikmet, director of CRHSP and former professor in the USF School of Business, has led the research team. He is now processing the data and will report the results at a press conference at 10 a.m. Sept. 18 in Selby Auditorium at the USF campus.