Latest Documents

Country Health Profiles 2023

The State of Health in the EU’s Country Health Profiles provide a concise and policy-relevant overview of health and health systems in the EU/European Economic area. The 2023 edition has a special focus on behavioural risk factors and includes for the first time an examination of the state of mental health and related services in each country.

Health Inequalities

Despite remarkable progress in health status and life expectancy in OECD countries over the past decades, there remain large inequalities not only across countries, but also across population groups within each country. These inequalities in health status are linked to many factors, including differences in exposure to risk factors to health and in access to healthcare.

Health Expenditure

Latest OECD estimates point to average health expenditure growth of 5% in 2020, driven by the exceptionally high growth in spending by government and compulsory schemes (+8.1%) in response to the additional needs to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Preliminary estimates for a group of 17 countries suggest that health spending increased by around 6% on average in 2021, according to OECD Health Statistics 2022, released in July 2022.

Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex issue of global concern with potentially dramatic health and economic consequences. The OECD provides a forum for discussion and provide countries with the evidence to implement effective and cost-effective policies to tackle AMR, promote effective use of antimicrobials and incentivise research and development in the antibiotic sector.

Universal Health Coverage

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.

Healthcare Quality and Outcomes Indicators

Healthcare quality is a core dimension of health system performance. The Healthcare Quality and Outcomes programme aims to develop and report indicators for international comparisons of healthcare quality.

Waiting Times

Long waiting times for health services have been an important policy issue in most OECD countries for many years. The COVID-19 outbreak is likely to result in at least some temporary increases in waiting times for non-urgent services in all the OECD countries that have been hard hit.

Hospital performance

Hospitals are important targets in national efforts to improve health system performance. The OECD currently collects a number of acute care measures of hospital performance on a national level, such as the mortality rate within 30 days of patients being admitted to hospital after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Several effective strategies to lower AMI mortality rates in OECD countries have been identified.

Long-term care workforce: caring for the ageing population with dignity

The OECD examines barriers to and policy options for promoting a stronger LTC workforce. Some of the themes analysed include education and training, recruitment and retention, productivity and use of technology, coordination between social and health workers, and coordination between formal and informal workers.

Health at a Glance 2023 - OECD Indicators