Health Care Systems Around the World: A Comparative Guide

This concise reference provides a one-stop point of research that examines major aspects of health care systems for over 190 countries worldwide. In a consistent format, ten major health care categories are systematically examined for each country: 1. Emergency Health Services; 2. Costs of Hospitalization; 3. Costs of Drugs; 4. Major Health Issues; 5. Government Role in Health Care; 6. Insurance; 7. Access to Health Care; 8. Health Care Facilities; 9. Health Care Personnel (doctor level of training, etc.); and 10. Public Health Programs. The volume is organized in alphabetical order of country names. Each country is presented on a two- or three-page spread with the same descriptive and statistical content, allowing readers to compare health care systems from country to country. For example, a reader may compare costs of drugs in France versus the United States versus Canada. Each country spread will feature short entries on the ten health care categories accompanied by charts, table, and photos as appropriate. The work culminates as a unique and essential resource for pre-med and medical students, as well as researchers in sociology, economics, and the health management fields.