Intro of Health Care Organization Report

TEMPLATE FOR DISCUSSION DOCUMENT

HEALTH STATUS OF OTHER COUNTRIES

Name of the country:

Type of government:

Type of healthcare system:

Population:

Primary ethnic groups:

Access to Healthcare:

Quality of Care:

Cost of Care:

Emerging Health Issues or Challenges:

EXAMPLE

HEALTH STATUS OF PORTUGAL

Name of the country: Portugal

Type of government: Parliamentary democracy

Type of healthcare system: National Health System administered by the Ministry of Health,

blended with some employment-based health coverage

Population: 10,676,910 (2008 estimate)

Per capita gross domestic product (GDP): $21,800 (2007 estimate)

Principal ethnic groups: Mediterranean, Black African and European

Access to Healthcare: Because the system is administered by the national government, all

citizens have access to healthcare. The constitution stipulates that healthcare is to be provided

to all citizens. There is a Patient Charter that provides certain rights to everyone – the right to

be informed of one’s health status and to receive a second opinion; the right to refuse any

procedure; the right to privacy of one’s personal health records; the patient’s responsibility for

his/her health status, and to be forthcoming regarding health history. The national health

system provides direct acute hospital care, general practice, and mother and child care services.

Primary Care Centers represent a primary vehicle for dispensing health services. Patients must

register with a general practitioner (GP) within their defined geographic area.

Quality of Care: As of 2005, data indicate that Portugal has a higher life expectancy at birth

(78.2 years) than the United States (77.8 in 2004), but lower than France and the United

Kingdom (England). According to a recent study compared Portugal to other OECD countries in

the area of ‘amenable mortality’. Amenable Mortality is death that can be averted through the

presence and intervention of effective healthcare. Infant mortality has improved over the past

two decades, resulting in overall improving health status. There has also been improvement in

both the number of people on health care waiting lists, as well as in the length of time they

must wait before receiving health services.

Cost of Care: The national health system is financed out of general tax revenues, accounting for

approximately 60% of total tax revenue. The national health system also receives revenue from

hospital charges associated with private room charges, private insurance, fines, donations,

equipment and space rentals, etc. Out-of-pocket health costs are particularly high (23 % in

2004), compared to other countries in the European Union (EU). In terms of per capita healthcare spending, Portugal, which has one of the highest poverty rates in the EU, spends

more than France and the United Kingdom, but less than the United States. In relative terms,

the burden of healthcare costs fall more on the low-income households.

Emerging Health Issues or Challenges: There is a lack of public ambulatory services, resulting in

higher Emergency Department usage. There is still a long waiting list for surgical procedures.

Healthcare expenditures are expected to continue rising, with little hope of effective cost

controls being developed and implemented.