Incorporating people’s voices is a core component of national and international efforts to improve quality of care (OECD, 2021[1]). Over the past decade, OECD countries have significantly expanded their use of patient-reported measures to inform healthcare policymaking. Several countries have collected and evaluated patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and have created channels for patient input to improve health system performance and person-centredness. A key initiative is the OECD’s PaRIS – the world’s largest international survey of people living with chronic conditions. It highlights cross-country differences in patient experiences, shedding light on variations in primary care quality and guiding efforts to strengthen primary care (OECD, 2025[2]).
PaRIS results show that people living with chronic conditions reported generally high levels of quality experienced in primary care. On average across OECD countries, 87% of patients with chronic conditions rated the care they received positively (good, very good or excellent), ranging from 97% in Switzerland to 69% in Portugal (Figure 6.15). Results were similar among people without chronic conditions. Analysis of PaRIS data shows that experienced quality is significantly associated with national health spending per capita and that more than 10% of variation can be attributed to country-level differences – such as national health policies and availability, accessibility and quality of healthcare services – as well as other factors beyond the health system.
Trust in healthcare professionals is a fundamental component of people‑centred care, especially for those living with chronic conditions who require ongoing interaction with the health system. Across OECD countries, 78% of patients with chronic conditions reported trusting the last healthcare professional they saw, ranging from 88% in Switzerland to 57% in Greece (Figure 6.16). The average rate was higher than the average for trust in the healthcare system overall across OECD countries (62%) (OECD, 2025[2]). Patient perceptions of high-quality care, having a central point of contact, longer relationships with care professionals over time and seeing care professionals who schedule longer appointments, were all found to have a positive impact on trust.
When healthcare is “person-centred”, it is tailored to the individual needs, preferences and values of the patient. Figure 6.17 (left panel) shows the proportion of patients who reported positive experiences of person-centred care, with scores above 12 on the P3CEQ person-centred care scale (0‑24). On average across OECD countries, 87% reported positive experiences, ranging from 97% in Switzerland to 66% in Wales (United Kingdom). Improving continuity of information, reducing the need for patients to explain their situations repeatedly, and involving patients more fully in decision making are critical steps towards more people‑centred care.
Primary care plays a crucial role in managing care for people with chronic conditions, making it a natural setting for implementing strategies and interventions to improve care co‑ordination, such as medication reviews and self-management support. Figure 6.17 (right panel) shows the proportion of patients who reported positive experiences of care co‑ordination, based on a score above 7.5 on the P3CEQ care co‑ordination scale (0‑15). The average across OECD countries was 59%, ranging from 81% in Switzerland to 22% in Wales (United Kingdom). Strengthening care planning, supporting medication reviews, and reinforcing continuous information sharing are key strategies to enhance co‑ordination and better support people living with chronic conditions.
