This Canadian report on the performance of universal health care countries makes grim reading for New Zealand. We rank first in terms of how much we spend on healthcare (as a % of GDP). But we don't get great health outcomes for that spend. We have the second worst infant mortality (figure 7a). And our "treatable mortality" - deaths from causes that can be mainly avoided through timely and effective health care interventions - (figure 7b) is only a whisker better than the average for OECD countries. Something isn't working in our system....
Mike James
2w
So many important determinants of health lie outside the health system and spending on health services. People often have unrealistic or even fanciful expectations of what the health system, and additional investment in it, will deliver.
Stats NZ, Christchurch
3wNot disagreeing that things need to change. But how much of the higher spend as a percentage of GDP is because our GDP is low compared to many countries? Is the percentage of GDP the best measure? We're 11th in per capita ppp spend.