Synthesis task #6
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SPANISH HEALTHCARE:<br />
WHAT MAKES SPAIN’S SYSTEM SO SUCCESSFUL?<br />
CHARLES ZAEPFEL<br />
SPN-101-U1 SPRING 2017
OVERVIEW:<br />
In 1978-1986 Spain’s<br />
healthcare system underwent<br />
major transformations. The<br />
goal of the 1978 Spanish<br />
Constitution regarding<br />
healthcare was to set higher<br />
standards for the treatment<br />
patients would receive.<br />
Today, as ranked by the<br />
World Health Organization,<br />
Spain’s single-payer<br />
healthcare system is ranked<br />
seventh best in the world.<br />
Due to its effectiveness most<br />
people do not mind paying<br />
for it as part of their taxes.<br />
However, there are around<br />
25% of people in the country<br />
who pay to be looked at by<br />
privately run clinics.<br />
Comparatively, Spain has a<br />
more effective healthcare<br />
system than the United States<br />
while spending far less<br />
money. Spain’s public<br />
healthcare system also<br />
provides free healthcare for<br />
retirees. Spain even covers<br />
the healthcare of those from<br />
other EU countries as the UK<br />
government pays Spain an<br />
annual sum per pensioner to<br />
cover their health costs. A<br />
key principle to the success<br />
of the Spanish healthcare<br />
system includes the voice it<br />
gives to citizens. With<br />
modern technological<br />
advances this provides more<br />
forums for communication.
STATISTICS IN SPAIN:<br />
• Spain’s healthcare system is ranked<br />
7 th worldwide<br />
• Spain ranks 6 th among the 30<br />
industrialized democracies in life<br />
expectancy<br />
o The average expectancy for<br />
men and women is 77.8 and<br />
84.3 years, respectively<br />
• Spain ranks 17 th among 224 nations<br />
in infant mortality rates<br />
• Spain ranks 9 th among 34 countries<br />
in number of doctors (per 1000<br />
population)<br />
• 25% of people in Spain opt for<br />
privately run clinics instead of public
AREAS FOR<br />
IMPROVEMENT:<br />
difficult to sustain the quality<br />
of care for which it has been<br />
known for. From the<br />
perspective of the physicians,<br />
this generous system does<br />
lead them to feel somewhat<br />
underappreciated and<br />
underpaid.<br />
Common complaints of the<br />
Spanish healthcare system in<br />
general involve the long wait<br />
to see specialists and undergo<br />
certain procedures. In fact,<br />
there are a third fewer deaths<br />
caused by delayed access to<br />
healthcare than in the United<br />
States. Also, with increasing<br />
cost that comes with more<br />
modernized technology,<br />
Spain finds itself lacking<br />
funding to purchase such<br />
high-quality materials.<br />
Related to this is the longterm<br />
issue involving how<br />
easy it is to acquire free<br />
healthcare. With an<br />
increasing number of patients<br />
entering the healthcare<br />
system it becomes more
References:<br />
Socolovsky, Jerome. "What Makes Spain's Health Care System The<br />
Best?" NPR. NPR, 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.<br />
Pencille, Barbara. "Spanish Healthcare Explained." The Guardian.<br />
Guardian News and Media, 08 Apr. 2008. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.<br />
Borkan, Jeffrey, Charles B. Eaton, David Novillo-Ortiz, Pablo Rivero<br />
Corte, and Alejandro R. Jadad. "Renewing Primary Care: Lessons<br />
Learned From The Spanish Health Care System." Health Affairs. Health<br />
Affairs, 01 Aug. 2010. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.