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Healthcare in Spain
Presented By: Wes Bates, Megan Saksefski,
Katie Butler, and Victoria Lyon
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Basic Information
 The
national healthcare system is decentralized in
order to provide greater and equal access to the
population, thus avoiding the concentration of
health services in urban areas.

Recent reforms have regionalized the system to provide
improved response time and increase the participation of
the targeted community at local levels.

The system consists of three organizational levels:
 Central (Organizacion de la Administracion Central)
 Autonomous Community (Organizacion Autonomica)
 Local (Areas de Salud)
+ Central Level
(Organizacion de la Administracion Central)

The state's central administration agency is the Ministry of
Health (Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo)

This agency is in charge of:
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Issuing health proposals
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Planning and carrying out the execution of the government's
health guidelines

Coordinating the activities aimed at reducing the consumption of
illegal drugs.
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Autonomous Community Level
(Organizacion Autonomica)
 The
territorial administration of health services is
the responsibility of each of Spain's 17
Autonomous Communities (“Comunidades
Autonomas”)

Each Autonomous Community must offer
integrated health services to the population
through the centers, services and establishments
of that community.
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Local Level
(Areas de Salud)

The “Areas de Salud” are defined by taking into account
factors of demography:
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geography
socioeconomics
employment
epidemiology
culture.

To increase operability and efficiency, the “areas de salud”
are subdivided into smaller units called “zonas basicas de
salud”.

There is a minimum of one “Area de Salud” per region
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Cost Per Capita
Per
 Total

capita cost is 1,421 €
Health Expenditure 88.828 million euros
71.8% of the health expenditure is focused on Public
Health (63.768 million euros)
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Funding the Healthcare System
 Main
(public) healthcare system is funded
through tax dollars and government funds.
 Private
sector is funded through private
investment and payment.
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Payment
 Patient
payment for services is covered by
the Spanish healthcare system.
 There
is no out-of-pocket cost for the patient.
 Patient
receives services and healthcare after
proving that they are a Spanish citizen or
permanent residence.
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Cost for Institutions
 The
average hospital visit in Spain costs the
healthcare system 143.19 €
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Ratio of Private Hospitals to Public Hospitals
In Spain, there are 465 private
hospitals and 339 public
hospitals.
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Quality
Health Indicators: Spain
GLOBAL HEALTH RANKING: 7th IN THE WORLD

Life expectancy at birth (years): 78 for males / 85 for females
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Probability of dying under five (per 1000 live births): 4
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Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2009): 3,150
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Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2009): 9.7
Figures are for 2009, Source: Global Health Observatory - WHO
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Focus of Spanish Healthcare

The Spanish healthcare system places a large emphasis on
primary care.

Spain has many government run programs to encourage healthy
eating and exercise.

Government provides subsidies to fruit and vegetable farmers.

Spanish health system contains programs to quit smoking and
cure additions.

Large amounts of money are spent to increase public knowledge
of how to live a healthy life.
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Technology

Since Spain's accession to the European Community in 1986,
the Spanish scientific and technological system has been
incorporated into the European system.

In 1995 a regulation for basing the introduction of new
procedures and medical equipment on the assessment of
safety, efficacy, and efficiency was issued.
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The Spanish healthcare system is highly dependent on
foreign technology and advancement.

Spanish healthcare system does not provide a large amount of
funds for research.
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Limited amount of experimental treatments.
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Access
 100%
of Spanish citizens are covered.

Non-nationals who contribute to the Social Security Network
and their family members are also covered by public
healthcare.

Immigrants who are not citizens of the EU but are registered
residents can obtain private healthcare.
 Illegal immigrants have the right to emergency care and
mother and child attendance.
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Citizens Knowledge of the System

Most Spanish understand the system generally, ssues that are
unclear because the system is so big.
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Issues may arise in:
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Influence of Socioeconomic Status
 Economic
status does not effect Spanish access to
healthcare.
A
Spanish citizen can receive care whether or not
they are contributing to Social Security.
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Distribution of Care
 In
some parts of the country, particularly the
outlying islands, patients may have to travel some
distance to find a state healthcare provider.
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Medical Decision Making and
Rationing of Care