International Challenges and Complexities of Data Collection in National Health Accounts: A Narrative Review (2024)

National Health Accounts (NHAs) are a critical tool in hands of governments worldwide to decide upon the health policies and allocation of scarce healthcare resources. The outcomes depend on the quality and adequacy of NHA data. This international literature review examines the practical barriers and methodological challenges in collecting the data for NHAs. It ventures into the synthesis of findings based on 46 research papers published between 2000 AD and 2024 AD collected from various relevant sources. This study identifies multifaceted challenges spanning infrastructural, methodological, technological, institutional, and contextual dimensions. There are significant infrastructural constraints, particularly in developing regions of the world which include inadequate health management information systems, non-standardized data collection methods, and challenges in capturing the national health expenditures incurred on treatment by indigenous and traditional medicine systems in different countries. This review also highlights other critical impediments, such as methodological inconsistencies, technological limitations, data quality concerns, and governance and administrative challenges across different healthcare systems. The study emphasizes the urgent need for adequate investment in technological infrastructure, standardization of data collection methods, enhanced training programs, and stronger ethical frameworks for better outcomes. This study concludes that addressing these multifaceted challenges will play significant role in improving the reliability and utility of NHA data, ultimately enabling evidence-based policy-making, effective resource allocation, and enhanced healthcare outcomes on a global scale.