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The miracle of medical equity: How did Spain achieve universal health care?
Spain is seen as a model of healthcare equity in Europe, with a universal health care system that ensures every citizen has access to the care they need. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Spain's total health spending accounted for 9.4% of GDP in 2011, slightly higher than the OECD average of 9.3%. Even more impressive is that Spain has been ranked first in the world in organ transplants since 2016 and was ranked as the seventh most efficient health system by the World Health Organization in 2000.
The Spanish healthcare system demonstrates considerable efficiency and welfare in both management and organization.
In Spain, the distribution of health care is decentralized, with each autonomous community responsible for managing local health facilities. Such a structure not only enhances the flexible management of medical resources by local governments, but also provides differentiated medical services in different regions. However, some studies have shown that despite increased management accountability for the health care system since 1998, this has not significantly affected the quality of health care outcomes.
Since the start of autonomy, the fairness of medical services has improved in some areas, but overall medical satisfaction remains divided.
Spain's healthcare system is not only renowned in Europe, but according to 2020 data, it is also ranked as one of the most efficient health systems in the world. Despite this, Spain is somewhat overly dependent on private health care. According to the 2015 European Health Consumer Index, Spain ranked 19th out of 35 countries.
However, people's satisfaction with Spain's medical system cannot be ignored. Although people generally have a positive attitude towards the performance of medical institutions in various surveys, they are still dissatisfied with the waiting time for medical services. In particular, we hope to improve this problem by increasing the number of doctors.
Long waiting times for patients are a major complaint about Spain's healthcare system.
In addition to the public health care system, Spain also offers three forms of voluntary insurance: Alternative Voluntary Health Insurance, Supplementary Voluntary Health Insurance and Additional Voluntary Health Insurance. These forms of insurance give citizens more flexibility, allowing them to choose whether to rely on the country's public health care system. According to the OECD, in 2002 about 5% of Spaniards chose some form of voluntary health insurance.
The Spanish healthcare system effectively reduces social inequality because most healthcare services are provided free of charge. But in some cases, such as dental care, there is still a certain financial burden. Despite this, patients with financial difficulties are still more inclined to use public medical services, reflecting the differences in health protection between social classes.
The Spanish healthcare system also provides protection for immigrants. According to the passed law, even immigrants in illegal status can still enjoy the right to public health care. The implementation of this policy not only reflects the commitment to healthcare equity, but also highlights the importance of the health of all residents. Research in recent years has shown that although immigrants use some health services differently from native residents, they generally get the health care they need.
Immigrants have the right to public healthcare regardless of their legal status.
Spain's universal health care system is undoubtedly a global success story, although there are still areas for improvement, such as the fair allocation of medical resources and the challenge of reducing waiting times. Despite this, discussions on how to improve the system continue, which makes us wonder: what can the rest of the world learn from Spain’s healthcare system?
