Italy has a good health care
system although marked differences between and within regions
persist, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) said on Thursday.
Health outcomes in Italy are amongst the best among OECD
member countries, with positive performance figures for life
expectancy, hospital admission rates for asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease and mortality after a stroke or
heart attack, according to the latest OECD review of health care
quality in the country.
However, these apparently reassuring figures mask "profound
regional differences", the Paris-based organisation said.
"Italy is an extremely heterogeneous country both socially
and economically," read the report.
"This heterogeneity is reflected in the heath system:
despite attempts at harmonisation regional disparities in terms
of the quality of the care provided remain significant."
Health care quality is also threatened by the risk of
budget cuts, while too little emphasis is placed on prevention,
the OECD said.
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