Health systems in transition最新文献

This analysis of the Latvian health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. After regaining independence in 1991, Latvia experimented with a social health insurance type system. However, to overcome decentralization and fragmentation of the system, the National Health Service (NHS) was established in 2011 with universal population coverage. More recently, reforms in 2017 proposed the introduction of a Compulsory Health Insurance System, with the objective of increasing revenues for health, which links access to different health care services to the payment of social health insurance contributions. In June 2019 the implementation of this proposal was postponed to 2021. Latvia has recovered from the severe economic recession of 2008, which resulted in the adoption of austerity measures that significantly affected the health care system. The recovery has created fiscal space to focus on policy challenges neglected in the past, especially regarding health. Despite recent increases in spending, the health system remains underfunded and resources have to be allocated wisely. Latvia's health outcomes should be considered within this context of limited health system resources. While life expectancy at birth in Latvia has increased since 2000, reaching 74.9 years in 2017, it remains among the lowest in the EU. Recent reforms have focused on improving access to services in rural/remote areas, increasing funding for health care services, and tougher regulation of tobacco and alcohol. However, a number of longstanding unresolved problems still need to be addressed, including financial sustainability and low public funding, high levels of unmet need, high rates of preventable and treatable mortality, and challenges in both communicable and noncommunicable diseases.

This analysis of the Serbian health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. The health of the Serbian population has improved over the last decade. Life expectancy at birth increased slightly in recent years, but it remains, for example, around 5 years below the average across European Union countries. Some favourable trends have been observed in health status and morbidity rates, including a decrease in the incidence of tuberculosis, but population ageing means that chronic conditions and long-standing disability are increasing. The state exercises a strong governance role in Serbia's social health insurance system. Recent efforts have increased centralization by transferring ownership of buildings and equipment to the national level. The health insurance system provides coverage for almost the entire population (98%). Even though the system is comprehensive and universal, with free access to publicly provided health services, there are inequities in access to primary care and certain population groups (such as the most socially and economically disadvantaged, the uninsured, and the Roma) often experience problems in accessing care. The uneven distribution of health professionals across the country and shortages in some specialities also exacerbate accessibility problems. High out-of-pocket payments, amounting to over 40% of total expenditure on health, contribute to relatively high levels of self-reported unmet need for medical care. Health care provision is characterized by the role of the "chosen doctor" in primary health care centres, who acts as a gatekeeper in the system. Recent public health efforts have focused on improving access to preventive health services, in particular, for vulnerable groups. Health system reforms since 2012 have focused on improving infrastructure and technology, and on implementing an integrated health information system. However, the country lacks a transparent and comprehensive system for assessing the benefits of health care investments and determining how to pay for them.

This analysis of the Bulgarian health system reviews developments in its organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. With the 2015 National Health Strategy 2020 at its core, there have been ambitious reform plans to introduce more decentralization, strategic purchasing and integrated care into the Bulgarian social health insurance system. However, the main characteristics of the Bulgarian health system, including a high level of centralization and a single payer to administer social health insurance, remain intact and very few reforms have been implemented (for example, the introduction of health technology assessment). There are multiple reasons for this, of which political fragility and stakeholder resistance are among the most important. Overall, Bulgaria marked notable progress on some health indicators (for example, life expectancy and infant mortality) but generally progress lags behind EU averages. What is more, the system has not been effective in reducing amenable mortality, as reflected in the unsteady improvement patterns in mortality due to malignant neoplasms. This is despite an increase in total health expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product to 8.2% in 2015. The overall high out-of-pocket spending (47.7% of total health spending in 2015) has been growing and is increasingly worrisome. It evidences the low degree of financial protection by the Bulgarian social health insurance system and exacerbates the already considerable inequities along socioeconomic and regional fault lines. For instance, there are regional imbalances of medical professionals, which are more concentrated in urban areas, and accessibility to physicians is further deteriorating, especially in rural areas. Current reforms have to tackle these challenges and build consensus among stakeholders of the health system to unlock the standstill.

This analysis of the Austrian health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Two major reforms implemented in 2013 and 2017 are among the main issues today. The central aim of the reforms that put in place a new governance system was to strengthen coordination and cooperation between different levels of government and self-governing bodies by promoting joint planning, decision-making and financing. Yet despite these efforts, the Austrian health system remains complex and fragmented in its organizational and financial structure. The Austrian population has a good level of health. Life expectancy at birth is above the EU average and low amenable mortality rates indicate that health care is more effective than in most EU countries. Yet, the number of people dying from cardiovascular diseases and cancer is high compared to the EU-28 average. Tobacco and alcohol represent the major health risk factors. Tobacco consumption has not declined over the last decade like in most other EU countries and lies well above the EU-28 average. In terms of performance, the Austrian health system provides good access to health care services. Austrias residents report the lowest levels of unmet needs for medical care across the EU. Virtually all the population is covered by social health insurances and enjoys a broad benefit basket. Yet, rising imbalances between the numbers of contracted and non-contracted physicians may contribute to social and regional inequalities in accessing care. The Austrian health system is relatively costly. It has a strong focus on inpatient care as characterized by high hospital utilization and imbalances in resource allocation between the hospital and ambulatory care sector. The ongoing reforms therefore aim to bring down publicly financed health expenditure growth with a global budget cap and reduce overutilization of hospital care. Efficiency of inpatient care has improved over the reform period but the fragmented financing between the inpatient and ambulatory sector remain a challenge. Current reforms to strengthen primary health care are an important step to further shift activities out of the large and costly hospital sector and improve skill mix within the health workforce.

This analysis of the Spanish health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Overall health status continues to improve in Spain, and life expectancy is the highest in the European Union. Inequalities in self-reported health have also declined in the last decade, although long-standing disability and chronic conditions are increasing due to an ageing population. The macroeconomic context in the last decade in the country has been characterized by the global economic recession, which resulted in the implementation of health system-specific measures addressed to maintain the sustainability of the system. New legislation was issued to regulate coverage conditions, the benefits package and the participation of patients in the National Health System funding. Despite the budget constraints linked to the economic downturn, the health system remains almost universal, covering 99.1% of the population. Public expenditure in health prevails, with public sources accounting for over 71.1% of total health financing. General taxes are the main source of public funds, with regions (known as Autonomous Communities) managing most of those public health resources. Private spending, mainly related to out-of-pocket payments, has increased over time, and it is now above the EU average. Health care provision continues to be characterized by the strength of primary care, which is the core element of the health system; however, the increasing financing gap as compared with secondary care may challenge primary care in the long-term. Public health efforts over the last decade have focused on increasing health system coordination and providing guidance on addressing chronic conditions and lifestyle factors such as obesity. The underlying principles and goals of the national health system continue to focus on universality, free access, equity and fairness of financing. The evolution of performance measures over the last decade shows the resilience of the health system in the aftermath of the economic crisis, although some structural reforms may be required to improve chronic care management and the reallocation of resources to high-value interventions.

This analysis of the Estonian health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. In 2017, the Estonian government took the historic step of expanding the revenue base of the health system, which has been a longstanding challenge. However, in terms of percentage of GDP it remains a small increase and long-term financial sustainability could still pose a problem. That said, if these additional funds are invested wisely, they could play a positive role in further improving the health system. Indeed, although Estonia has made remarkable progress on many health indicators (e.g. the strongest gains in life expectancy of all EU countries, strongly falling amenable mortality rates), there are opportunities for improvements. They include overcoming the large health disparities between socioeconomic groups, improving population coverage, developing a comprehensive plan to tackle workforce shortages, better managing the growing number of people with (multiple) noncommunicable diseases and further reaping the benefits of the e-health system, especially for care integration and clinical decision-making. Also in terms of quality, large strides have been made but the picture is mixed. Avoidable hospital admissions are among the lowest in Europe for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), about average for congestive heart failure and diabetes, but among the worst for hypertension. Moreover, the 30-day fatality rates for acute myocardial infarction and stroke are among the worst in the EU. These outcomes suggest substantial room to further improve service quality and care coordination. The new NHP, which is currently being revised will be play a crucial role in the success of future reform efforts.

This analysis of the Greek health system reviews developments in its organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. The economic crisis has had a major impact on Greek society and the health system. Health status indicators such as life expectancy at birth and at age sixtyfive are above the average in the European Union but health inequalities and particular risk factors such as high smoking rates and child obesity persist. The highly centralized health system is a mixed model incorporating both tax-based financing and social health insurance. Historically, a number of enduring structural and operational inadequacies within the health system required addressing, but reform attempts often failed outright or stagnated at the implementation phase. The countrys Economic Adjustment Programme has acted as a catalyst to tackle a large number of wide-ranging reforms in the health sector, aiming not only to reduce public sector spending but also to rectify inequities and inefficiencies. Since 2010, these reforms have included the establishment of a single purchaser for the National Health System, standardizing the benefits package, re-establishing universal coverage and access to health care, significantly reducing pharmaceutical expenditure through demand and supply-side measures, and important changes to procurement and hospital payment systems; all these measures have been undertaken in a context of severe fiscal constraints. A major overhaul of the primary care system is the priority in the period 2018-2021. Several other challenges remain, such as ensuring adequate funding for the health system (and reducing the high levels of out-of-pocket spending on health); maintaining universal health coverage and access to needed health services; and strengthening health system planning, coordination and governance. While the preponderance of reforms implemented so far have focused on reducing costs, there is a need to develop this focus into longer-term strategic reforms that enhance efficiency while guaranteeing the delivery of health services and improving the overall quality of care.

This analysis of the Georgian health system reviews developments in its organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Since 2012, political commitment to improving access to health care, to protecting the population from the financial risks of health care costs and to reducing inequalities has led to the introduction of reforms to provide universal health coverage. Considerable progress has been made. Over 90% of the resident population became entitled to a tightly defined package of state-funded benefits in 2013; previously, only 45% of the population had been eligible. The package of services has variable depth of coverage depending on the groups covered, with the lowest income groups enjoying the most comprehensive benefits. To finance the broader coverage, the government increased health spending significantly, although this remains low in international comparisons. Out-of-pocket (OOP) payments have fallen as public spending has increased. Nevertheless, current health expenditure (CHE) is still dominated by OOP payments (57% in 2015), two thirds of which are for outpatient pharmaceuticals. For this reason, in July 2017, the package of benefits was expanded for the most vulnerable households to cover essential medicines for four common chronic conditions. The system has retained extensive infrastructure with strong geographical coverage. Georgia also has a large number of doctors per capita, but an acute shortage of nurses. Incentives in the system for patients and providers favour emergency and inpatient care over primary care. There are also limited financial incentives to improve the quality of care and a lack of disincentives to inhibit poor quality care. Future reform plans focus on ensuring universal access to high-quality medical services, strengthening primary care and public health services, and increasing financial protection.

This analysis of the health system of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. The country has made important progress during its transition from a socialist system to a market-based system, particularly in reforming the organization, financing and delivery of health care and establishing a mix of private and public providers. Though total health care expenditure has risen in absolute terms in recent decades, it has consistently fallen as share of GDP, and high levels of private health expenditure remain. Despite this, the health of the population has improved over the last decades, with life expectancy and mortality rates for both adults and children reaching similar levels to those in ex-communist EU countries, though death rates caused by unhealthy behaviour remain high. Inheriting a large health infrastructure, good public health services and well-distributed health service coverage after independence in 1991, the country re-built a social health insurance system with a broad benefit package. Primary care providers were privatized and new private hospitals were allowed to enter the market. In recent years, the country reformed the organization of care delivery to better incorporate both public and private providers in an integrated system. Significant efficiency gains were reached with a pioneering health information system that has reduced waiting times and led to a better coordination of care. This multi-modular e-health system has the potential to further reduce existing inefficiencies and to generate evidence for assessment and research. Despite this progress, satisfaction with health care delivery is very mixed with low satisfaction levels with public providers. The public hospital sector in particular is characterized by inefficient organization, financing and provision of health care; and many professionals move to other countries and to the private sector. Future challenges include sustainable planning and management of human resources as well as enhancing quality and efficiency of care through reform of hospital financing and organization.

This analysis of the Portuguese health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. Overall health indicators such as life expectancy at birth and at age 65 years have shown a notable improvement over the last decades. However, these improvements have not been followed at the same pace by other important dimensions of health: child poverty and its consequences, mental health and quality of life after 65. Health inequalities remain a general problem in the country. All residents in Portugal have access to health care provided by the National Health Service (NHS), financed mainly through taxation. Out-of-pocket payments have been increasing over time, not only co-payments, but particularly direct payments for private outpatient consultations, examinations and pharmaceuticals. The level of cost-sharing is highest for pharmaceutical products. Between one-fifth and one-quarter of the population has a second (or more) layer of health insurance coverage through health subsystems (for specific sectors or occupations) and voluntary health insurance (VHI). VHI coverage varies between schemes, with basic schemes covering a basic package of services, whereas more expensive schemes cover a broader set of services, including higher ceilings of health care expenses. Health care delivery is by both public and private providers. Public provision is predominant in primary care and hospital care, with a gate-keeping system in place for access to hospital care. Pharmaceutical products, diagnostic technologies and private practice by physicians constitute the bulk of private health care provision. In May 2011, the economic crisis led Portugal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, in exchange for a loan of 78 billion euros. The agreed Economic and Financial Adjustment Programme included 34 measures aimed at increasing cost-containment, improving efficiency and increasing regulation in the health sector. Reforms implemented since 2011 by the Ministry of Health include: improving regulation and governance, health promotion (launch of priority health programmes such as for diabetes and mental health), rebalancing the pharmaceutical market (new rules for price setting, reduction in the prices of pharmaceuticals, increasing use of generic drugs), expanding and coordinating long-term and palliative care, and strengthening primary and hospital care.