6-July-2017
English
Universal Health Coverage is about everyone having access to good quality health services without suffering financial hardship. Although most OECD countries offer all their citizens affordable access to a comprehensive package of health services, they face challenges in sustaining and enhancing such universal systems.
24-May-2017
English
Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) are commonly used to convert national currencies to a common unit. The main novel feature in the 2017 report is the collection of comparable and output-based prices for hospital services that can then be applied to matching health accounts expenditure data so as to derive consistent price and volume comparisons of health and hospital goods and services consumed.
18-May-2017
English
Today, more than one in two adults and nearly one in six children are overweight or obese in the OECD area. The obesity epidemic has spread further in the past five years. This Obesity Update focusses on a selection of new policy strategies, specifically at communication policies aimed to tackle obesity, in particular by improving nutrient information displayed on food labels, or by regulating the marketing of food products.
18-May-2017
English
Access the 2012 and 2014 editions of "Obesity Update", the OECD short brief on key obesity trends and data.
7-April-2017
English, PDF, 1,881kb
This report was prepared for the 2nd Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, held in Bonn on 29-30 March 2017. It first estimates the health, financial and economic costs of patient harm - defined as any unnecessary deleterious effects on those receiving health care. The report then examines how patient harm can be minimised effectively and efficiently to make complex healthcare systems as safe and reliable as possible.
5-April-2017
English
In March 2016, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon officially established a High-level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth. The Commission is co-chaired by Mr François Hollande, President of France, and Mr Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, and co-vice-chaired by Dr. Margaret Chan (WHO), Mr. Guy Ryder (ILO) and Mr. Angel Gurría (OECD).
28-March-2017
English, PDF, 520kb
New Zealand has a generally high performing health system, which provides universal coverage and publicly funded access to a large set of core health services. Similar to other high-income countries, New Zealand faces the challenges posed by an ageing population, health inequities, as well as the growing burden of non-communicable and chronic diseases.
28-March-2017
English, PDF, 424kb
The Slovak Republic is struggling to attain the same health outcomes as its Western European Union neighbours. With 5.6% government expenditure on health as share of GDP and moderate private health spending, the country’s financial resources for health are on par with neighbouring Central European countries and countries of comparable wealth.
28-March-2017
English, PDF, 339kb
The health system in Spain stands out for its impressive life gains during the past decades. Across OECD countries, Spain currently ranks second in terms of life expectancy at birth and at 65 years old, only behind Japan. However, factors such as a high share of out of pocket spending or a relatively low level of health professionals continue to impair higher health system performance.
28-March-2017
English, PDF, 362kb
Despite financial strains, Portugal has shown a great level of commitment towards improving the quality and efficiency of its health system while maintaining a universal public system. However, although progress has been achieved, certain areas demand further scrutiny such as access to health care services – especially among the most vulnerable population – quality of care, healthier lifestyles and the long-term care system.