How much health do we get for our money?
Switzerland spends more per capita on healthcare than almost any other country – around 10,000 USD a year, well above the OECD average of 6,000 USD. Nevertheless, a large proportion of these funds does not go where it would deliver the greatest health benefits. In the latest issue of the SAMW Bulletin, Prof. Christoph A. Meier, a consultant in internal medicine and CMO of VIVA Health Swiss, explains why curative and technology-based medicine are given financial priority, whilst prevention and palliative care are often neglected – and what a system consistently focused on patient outcomes could change.
