
Across the globe, health care policymakers face mounting pressure to lower costs while improving the quality and safety of care. The U.S. can learn a lot by examining other health systems, their performance in relation to ours, and their health care delivery and payment innovations. Explore this site to learn more about the health care systems in 19 countries.
Health System Features
Compare the features of international health systems, including health insurance, public and private financing, health system organization and governance, health care quality and coordination, disparities, efficiency and integration, use of information technology and evidence-based practice, cost containment, and recent reforms and innovations.
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Role of Government
What is the role of government in the health care system? -
Who is Covered
Who is covered and how is insurance financed? -
What is Covered
What services does the health care system cover? -
Delivery System
How is the delivery system organized and financed? -
Health System Governance
What are the key entities for health system governance? -
Ensuring Quality of Care
What are the major strategies to ensure quality of care? -
Reducing Disparities
What is being done to reduce disparities? -
Integration and Coordination
How are systems promoting integration and care coordination? -
Electronic Health Records
What is the status of electronic health records? -
Cost Containment
How are health care costs contained? -
Innovations
What major innovations and reforms have been introduced?
Selected Health and System Statistics
Compare 19 countries on key health system characteristics and performance indicators, including overall health care spending, hospital spending and utilization, health care access, patient safety, care coordination, chronic care management, disease prevention, capacity for quality improvement, and public views.
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25.1%
Percentage of population over age 65 in Japan -
17.2%
Percentage of GDP spent on health care in the United States -
$9,364
Health care spending per capita in the United States -
4.4
Number of practicing physicians per 1,000 population in Norway -
38%
Obesity (BMI>30) prevalence in the United States -
44%
Percent of English public that believes their health system works well
2016 International Survey of Adults
The 2016 Commonwealth Fund International Survey of 11 nations finds that adults in the United States are far more likely than those in other countries to go without needed care because of costs and to struggle to afford basic necessities such as housing and healthy food. U.S. adults are also more likely to report having poor health and emotional distress.