The Netherlands yet again win the
2009 Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI) and with an increasing margin. Obviously it makes a difference that the Netherlands combines competition for provision AND funding. They actively support patient choice and that is something that now shows results in many areas. The general improvement is also seen in other reform making countries like Ireland and the Czech Republic. But the Spanish, Portuguese and Greek healthcare systems continues to decline. The 2009 index includes 33 national European healthcare systems and measures 38 indicators. The full result is as follows:
The individual category winners are:
- Patient rights and information: Denmark
- e-Health: Denmark, Netherlands
- Waiting time for treatment: Albania, Belgium, Germany,Switzerland
- Outcomes: Sweden
- Range and reach of services provided: Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden
- Pharmaceuticals: Netherlands, Denmark
More about the index will be possible to find later today on the http://www.healthpowerhouse.com/ site. The report can be found here.
Posts
Albania: shortest waiting times in Europe???
ReplyDeleteHCP has always tried to ensure that the indicators used do not penalize poorer countries. I.e. indicators for quality and generosity etc are not based on really expensive treatments.
ReplyDeleteI would assume that the explanation to the rather surprising result also for me is that they have chosen their waiting times indicators according to this principle. I.e. what it doesn’t say is what treatments there are no waiting times for because they are not offered at all. /Kajsa