Countries with Most Efficient Health Care

America is constantly struggling with the increasing cost of health care and improving access to care for patients. There are plenty of countries around the world with more efficient health care.

Bloomberg recently ranked the countries with the most efficient health care using three criteria: life expectancy; relative per capita cost of health care (percentage of GDP per capita); and the absolute per capita cost of health care (expenditures covering preventive and curative services, family planning, nutrition and emergency aid).

America ranked 46, just above Serbia and Brazil and behind Iran and Turkey.

“Among advanced economies, the U.S. spends the most on health care on a relative cost basis with the worst outcome,” Bloomberg wrote.

The countries included had populations of at least five million, life expectancy of at least 70 years and GDP per capita of at least $5,000.

Asian countries took the top three spots. Here are the 10 countries with the most efficient health care as according to Bloomberg’s ranking.

10. Sweden

Malmö at night. Photo by Västa Hamnen.

Efficiency score: 62.6

Life expectancy: 81.8

Health cost per capita: $5,331

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 9.6%

Swedes will have to deal with one of the harshest austerity measures from 2013 to 2015, according to Bloomberg analysis, and their unemployment rate is still at 8.2%. Still, they are one of the least stressed out countries.

9. Switzerland

Mittlere Brücke over the Rhine in Basel.

Efficiency score: 63.1

Life expectancy: 82.7

Health cost per capita: $9,121

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 11.5%

With the longest life spans in Western Europe, residents in Switzerland enjoy an 18.3-year retirement, on average. With a 3% unemployment rate, the Swiss are fairly stress free.

8. South Korea

Haeundae Beach of Busan.

Efficiency score: 65.1

Life expectancy: 80.9

Health cost per capita: $1,616

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 7.2%

South Koreans have the third longest retirement (21.59 years) and ranked number one for the fastest aging within one generation. South Korea’s concentration of 65-plus residents has almost tripled.

7. Australia

Brisbane as seen from Kangaroo Point. Photo by Lachlan Fearnley.

Efficiency score: 66

Life expectancy: 81.8

Health cost per capita: $5,939

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 8.9%

The efficient health care will come in handy since Australia is the third heaviest country in the world. The good news is that Australia has the third highest minimum wage, low unemployment (5.5%) and residents are the least stressed out.

6. Italy

Rialto Bridge in Venice. Photo by W. Lloyd MacKenzie.

Efficiency score: 66.1

Life expectancy: 82.1

Health cost per capita: $3,436

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 10.4%

Italians may have the fourth longest life span in Western Europe and the fifth longest retirement in the world, but it also has the fourth worst five-year outlook in Europe and is the second most rapidly aging country.

5. Spain

Barcelona.

Efficiency score: 68.3

Life expectancy: 82.3

Health cost per capita: $3,027

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 10.4%

Spain’s health care may be efficient, but the country is struggling elsewhere. It has the second busiest psychiatrists in the EU (behind Portugal), the second highest youth and overall unemployment (behind Greece for both) and the worst five-year outlook in Europe. But, workers have the third most paid time off.

4. Israel

Haifa. Photo by Michael Paul Gollmer.

Efficiency score: 68.7

Life expectancy: 81.8

Health cost per capita: $2,426

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 7.8%

People in Israel have the longest life spans in the Middle East and Africa and they have the twelfth longest retirements in the world (lasting 17.81 years).

3. Japan

Tokyo.

Efficiency score: 74.1

Life expectancy: 82.6

Health cost per capita: $3,958

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 8.5%

As the most rapidly aging country in the world, Japan’s health care will really have its work cut out for it over the coming years. The country has one of the highest obesity inequality ratios of underweight women to obese women in the world. While 3% of female adults are obese, 10.4% are underweight.

2. Singapore

The central business district (right side) and the Marina Bay Sands (left).

Efficiency score: 81.9

Life expectancy: 81.9

Health cost per capita: $2,286

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 4.4%

Health care in Singapore better be efficient since Singapore’s residents enjoy the longest retirements, living 23 years after they retire. Singaporeans are also relatively unstressed; however, it’s one of the most expensive cities in the world, according to the Worldwide Cost of Living report.

1. Hong Kong

The city as seen from Victoria Peak.

Efficiency score: 92.6

Life expectancy: 83.4

Health cost per capita: $1,409

Cost as percent of GDP per capita: 3.8%

The life span of Hong Kong’s residents is the longest among Asia Pacific countries, and it has the tenth longest retirement in the world, but the country also ranked as the thirteenth most rapidly aging country. Hong Kong has one of the best housing markets, according to the Global Property Guide