Smith, OwenNguyen, Son Nam2013-06-112013-06-112013-06-10978-0-8213-9883-8https://hdl.handle.net/10986/13832This report is about how to improve health system outcomes in countries in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. Long-term historical trends indicate substantial room for improvement, especially when ECA's health outcomes are compared to those of the Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (EU-15). Instead of catching up with their Western neighbors, many countries in ECA have been falling behind. This report, which explores the development challenge facing health sectors in ECA, identifies three key agendas for achieving more rapid convergence with the world's best-performing health systems: (i) the first is the health agenda, in which the main imperative is to strengthen public health and primary care interventions to help achieve the 'cardiovascular revolution' that has taken place in the west in recent decades; (ii) the second is the financing agenda, in which growing demand for medical care must be satisfied without imposing an undue burden on households, by achieving better financial protection, or on government budgets, by ensuring a more efficient use of resources; and (iii) the third agenda relates to broader institutional arrangements. Here, a few key reform ingredients are identified, each of which is common to most advanced health systems but lacking in many ECA countries.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOaccess to health careaccountability mechanismsadult mortalityadult populationAgingAlcohol Consumptionalcohol policiesasphyxiabasic human rightbasic needsbudget capsCancercapitationCardiovascular Diseasecardiovascular risk factorschild healthchild mortalityCholesterolchronic diseasecompetition among insurerscost sharingdeathsdecision makingDelivery of Health Caredemand for healthdemand for health caredepressiondietdisabilitydisease burdendisease diagnosisDisease managementdisseminationdoctorsDrugsearly childhoodeconomic growthEconomic PerspectivesEconomic Reviewelderlyemploymentepidemicexcess mortalityexisting resourcesfee for servicefee-for-servicefee-for-service methodsfee-for-service paymentFemalesfinancial consequencesFinancial Protectionfixed costsgenesglobal healthgross domestic productgross national incomeHealth BudgetsHealth Carehealth care deliveryhealth care providershealth care provisionHealth Care Serviceshealth care systemshealth consequenceshealth coveragehealth expenditurehealth expendituresHealth Financinghealth indicatorsHealth InsuranceHealth Insurance Fundhealth legislationHealth Organizationhealth outcomesHealth Policyhealth professionalshealth programsHealth Reformhealth resourceshealth risksHealth SectorHealth SpendingHealth SystemHealth SystemsHealth Trendshealth-financinghealthy lifeheart attackheart diseaseHigh Blood PressureHIV/AIDSHospitalhospital bedshospital capacityHospital WastehospitalizationHospitalshousehold surveysHuman Developmenthuman healthhypertensionill healthillnessImmunizationimmunodeficiencyimportant policyIncomeincome countriesInfantInfant mortalityinfectious diseasesInformal Paymentsinformal sectorinjuriesinsurance marketsinterventionlack of knowledgelegal statuslevel of developmentLife ExpectancyLife expectancy at birthLife Expectancy Gainslife-saving careLiving Standardslongevitymagnetic resonance imagingmarket failuresmaterial resourcesmaternal and child healthmaternal mortalitymedical billsMedical CareMedical Insurancemedical staffmedical systemsmedical technologiesMedical technologyMentalMental HealthmigrationMillennium Development GoalMillennium Development Goalsmodern medicinemoral hazardMorbiditymortalityMRImultiple insurersnational governmentsnational healthnational health serviceneonatal careneonatal mortalitynutritionpandemicPatientPatient Choicepatient costPatientspensionspersonal behaviorPharmaceutical SpendingPharmaceuticalsphysicianspneumoniaPocket Paymentspocket payments for health carepolicy makersPolicy ResponseprevalencePrimary Careprimary health careProgressprostateProvider paymentpublic healthpublic opinionpurchasing powerpurchasing power parityQuality AssuranceQuality of CareQuality of Lifereform of health systemsRespectrestaurantsrisk factorRisk FactorsSafety Netsafety netsScreeningservice deliveryservice provisionSmokersSmokingsocial health insurancesocial sectorssocioeconomic statussuicidesyndromeTBTobacco TaxationTreatmentTuberculosisunder-five mortalityuse of resourcesvaccinationsVaccinesviolenceWasteWorld Health OrganizationWorld Bank10.1596/978-0-8213-9883-8