International Comparison of Health Systems

The performance of healthcare systems varies significantly across countries. Factors such as access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes are often used to compare health systems internationally.

Key Indicators:

  1. Life Expectancy: Average number of years a person is expected to live.
  2. Infant Mortality Rate: Number of deaths per 1,000 live births.
  3. Mortality Amenable to Healthcare: Deaths from conditions that are treatable with timely and effective healthcare.
  4. Patient Satisfaction: Patients’ perceived quality of care and satisfaction with healthcare services.
  5. Healthcare Spending: Percentage of GDP spent on healthcare.

Country Comparison:

  1. United States:
    • High healthcare spending (17.1% of GDP)
    • Average life expectancy (78.7 years)
    • High infant mortality rate (5.8 per 1,000 live births)
  2. Canada:
    • Universal healthcare system
    • Lower healthcare spending (10.4% of GDP)
    • Higher life expectancy (81.9 years)
    • Lower infant mortality rate (4.5 per 1,000 live births)
  3. United Kingdom:
    • National Health Service (NHS) provides universal coverage
    • Lower healthcare spending (9.8% of GDP)
    • Higher life expectancy (80.7 years)
    • Lower infant mortality rate (3.9 per 1,000 live births)
  4. Australia:
    • Mixed public-private healthcare system
    • Higher healthcare spending (9.5% of GDP)
    • Higher life expectancy (82.5 years)
    • Lower infant mortality rate (3.2 per 1,000 live births)
  5. Japan:
    • Universal healthcare system
    • High life expectancy (84.7 years)
    • Low infant mortality rate (2.1 per 1,000 live births)
    • High healthcare spending (11.4% of GDP)

Common Challenges:

  1. Aging Populations: Increasing demand for healthcare services.
  2. Rising Healthcare Costs: Balancing quality and affordability.
  3. Health Inequalities: Disparities in access to care and health outcomes.
  4. Workforce Shortages: Attracting and retaining healthcare professionals.

Best Practices:

  1. Primary Care: Emphasizing preventive care and community-based services.
  2. Integrated Care: Coordinating care across settings and providers.
  3. Patient-Centered Care: Focusing on patient needs and preferences.
  4. Innovative Technologies: Leveraging digital health and data analytics to improve care.

The United States spends significantly more on healthcare per person compared to other high-income countries. In 2020, the US spent 19.5% of its GDP on healthcare, which is substantially higher than other peer countries. This gap has been widening over the past five decades, with the US spending about 7% of its GDP on healthcare in 1970, similar...

  1. athenahealth
  2. Oscar Health
  3. Clover Health
  4. Bright Health
  5. Devoted Health
  6. Alignment Healthcare
  7. VillageMD
  8. Oak Street Health
  9. Cityblock Health
  10. Agilon Health
  11. Carbon Health
  12. Forward
  13. MedArrive
  14. Doctor on Demand
  15. Teladoc Health
  16. American Well
  17. One Medical
  18. Iora Health
  19. Crossover Health
  20. Vera Whole Health
  21. Elevance Health
  22. Somatus
  23. Transcarent
  24. Clarify Health
  25. Lyra Health
  26. Ginger
  27. Hinge Health
  28. Sword Health
  29. Kaia Health
  30. Modern Health
  31. Spring Health
  32. Cerebral
  33. Calm
  34. Headspace
  35. Happify
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  37. Thirty Madison
  38. Ro
  39. Hims & Hers
  40. Nurx
  41. Wheel
  42. Medically Home
  43. DispatchHealth
  44. Hospital at Home
  45. Biofourmis
  46. Viz.ai
  47. Aetion
  48. Komodo Health
  49. HealthVerity
  50. Innovaccer
  51. CareCloud
  52. Zocdoc
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  54. Diameter Health
  55. Apixio
  56. Sansoro Health
  57. Redox
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  59. CloudMedx
  60. CureMetrix
  61. Abridge
  62. Augmedix
  63. Conversa Health
  64. Healthify
  65. Fitbit
  66. Omada Health

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Key Provisions:

  • 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in insurance intermediaries
  • Enhanced powers to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
  • Implications for the Indian insurance sector

100% FDI:

  • Allows full foreign ownership in insurance intermediaries such as brokers, third-party administrators, and surveyors
  • Expected to attract more foreign investment into the sector

IRDAI Powers:

  • IRDAI to have more regulatory control over the insurance sector
  • Powers to regulate and supervise insurance companies, intermediaries, and other stakeholders
  • Ability to impose penalties and take enforcement actions against non-compliant entities

What It Means for India:

  • Increased foreign investment in the insurance sector
  • Enhanced regulatory framework for the insurance industry
  • Potential for increased insurance penetration and density in India
  • Improved consumer protection and dispute resolution mechanisms
  • Opportunities for growth and development of the Indian insurance market

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