Are health systems of central European countries the least efficient? A cross country comparative study

Abstract

The paper considers the characteristics of efficient health systems. First, indicators describing the health status of the population, then the determinant factors, finally their ratio was considered as the indicator of health system efficiency. The analysis indicates that Israeli health system is the most efficient one, while the Czech Republic and Hungary ranked the lowest. The high level of efficiency may not stem from either expanded market elements (U.S.) or public financing and ownership (Czech Republic, Hungary) but may be enhanced by integrating statutory and private health insurance that contains market elements and operates with a few, competing insurance funds.