Good health is necessary for individuals to flourish as citizens, workers and consumers. OECD countries devote on average 8-10% of their GDP to health care. However, as the costs and benefits of health systems are coming under scrutiny, policy makers need evidence-based analysis to support their decisions.

The OECD Health Committee directs the OECD work on health and advises Council on appropriate priorities. The Health Division, within the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, administers the work programme of the Committee. 

The Health Division undertakes performance measurement and analysis of health systems for international comparison through data projects and analytical projects. 

·    We work on strengthening indicators and data on health status and health systems in member countries. We develop guidelines for international reporting of health expenditures through work on health accounting. We also work on developing indicators of the quality of health care.

·    We address analytical issues that OECD countries consider important. We analyse the organisation and performance of health systems, and factors explaining performance variations. We conduct studies on co-ordination of care; Pharmaceutical Pricing Policies; long term care and disability trends among elderly people; health workforce and international migration; information and communication technologies; and the economics of prevention. We assess member countries' health systems in country reviews.

Work on health is also carried out in other parts of the OECD (more). The OECD Health Project (2001-2004) included input from different Directorates and laid the foundation for continued work on health at the OECD. At their first-ever meeting on May 13-14, 2004, OECD Health Ministers discussed the outcomes of the Health Project and mandated future OECD work on health. In January 2005, the Council established the Group on Health (renamed Health Committee as of January 2007) and created the Health Division.

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