Slovenia's Health Care Close to European Average
Slovenia's health care system, in comparison with other EU members, is close to the European average, according to recent research conducted by the European health care think-tank the Health Consumer Powerhouse.
The Stockholm-based think-tank ranks Slovenia twelfth among the 26 European countries surveyed. Slovenia has received the highest ranking for the quality of services with regard to means invested, and the lowest for waiting time for treatment.
Slovenia scored best for the fact that dental care is part of the public health care system, for treatment of heart attacks, the prevention of infant mortality, patients' access to their own medical records, and patients' right to second opinions.
However, the authors of the study were not pleased with the lack of communication between patients and doctors in Slovenia, direct access to specialist care, treatment of cancer, and access to new drugs.
The research, published on the organisation's web site, also shows that Slovenia has been evaluated best among the EU newcomers. It is followed closely by Malta and Hungary, while the Baltic countries are at the bottom of the list.
The survey, which has a consumer-oriented focus on health care systems, included all 25 EU members and Switzerland. While France, the Netherlands and Germany rank highest for providing high quality health care, Latvia, Ireland, and Lithuania were ranked lowest.
The report also suggests that the quality of health care establishments is related to their funding arrangements. Countries with pluralistic financing systems generally score higher on patients’ rights and information issues.
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