Dutch healthcare system named best in Europe on Swedish index

The Netherlands' healthcare system is the best in Europe, according to the annual index by Swedish Health Consumer Powerhouse. The Netherlands has been number in Europe on this index since 2008, the Telegraaf reports.

Powerhouse compares accessibility, cost, treatment outcome and use of medicine for their ranking. This year the Netherlands scored 927 out of the possible 1,000 points. Improvements were seen in shorter waiting lists.

An important quality of the Dutch system is its accessibility, according to the researchers. This can be partly attributed to the fact that the Netherlands is Densely populated, but the fact that the responsibility for care lies with municipalities contributes to the fact that most Dutch have healthcare with in their reach. The researchers also praised the Dutch system for how little influence politicians and insurers have in decisions made in operating rooms. 

On the other hand, the Dutch system is also one of the more expensive healthcare systems, costing about 5 thousand dollars per resident. According to the index, the Netherlands spends above average amounts on mental health care and elderly care. 

When it comes to the price-quality relationship, the Netherlands gets an 11th place. Macedonia offers the best value for money, with the second lowest cost of care per resident.