Comparing the Healthcare System of Australia with the of U.S.A. and Switzerland

Running head: AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 1
Comparing the Healthcare System of Australia with the of U.S.A. and Switzerland
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AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 2
Table of Contents
Comparing the Healthcare System of Australia with that of U.S.A. and Switzerland...........3
Executive Summary......................................................................................3
Introduction................................................................................................3
Financial Structure of the Health System in Australia, United States and Switzerland..........3
The performances of the Healthcare System in Australian, United States and Switzerland....3
Why the Australian Healthcare System is performing Better.......................................7
Financial Implications for the Healthcare System....................................................7
Challenges faced while promoting Equal Access to Health Care..................................8
Recommendations for Improving the Australian Healthcare System..............................9
Conclusion................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................11

AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 3
Comparing the Healthcare System of Australia with the of U.S.A. and Switzerland
Executive Summary
Australia is one of the leading countries with the best health system. The Australian
government has established appropriate health policies and directives to promote quality
healthcare services to all citizens both in the public and private facilities. The member
countries of the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) have
adopted closely related financial structures in their health systems but the differences arise
from the application of varying health policies. This essay provides comprehensive
information from the analysis of the comparison between the health system of Australia with
that of Switzerland and United States of America.
Introduction
The analysis of the health system of the OECD member countries is based on the
financial perspective. Appropriate demographic data are used in the analysis of the
differences and similarities between the financial structure of the Australian health system
with that of United States of America and Switzerland. Healthcare planning approaches
applied by the countries will be succinctly analysed based on the financial structures of the
selected countries. The Australian government should establish appropriate health policies to
maintain its financial structure and minimize fluctuations in the quality of healthcare services.
Financial Structure of the Health System in Australia, United States and Switzerland
Australia is a developed country that is classified among the six countries with the
quality health system in the world. The health system of Australia is comprised of both
private and public healthcare (Russell & Dawda, 2014). The mixed approach in the
Australian health system has resulted in a serious debate to determine the speculation on the
nature of spending by the private and public stakeholders in the health sector. The financial

AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 4
structure of the Australian health system has been divided into three different groups based
on the level of government regulating the operations of the facilities. The levels are local,
state, and federal. In most cases, the main responsibility/function of the federal government is
to provide financial resources to the Australian health system. Currently, more than 70
percent of the health institutions in Australia are financed by the federal government
(Dickinson, Bismark, Phelps & Loh, 2016). Also, the federal government of Australia is
responsible for establishing appropriate health policies. On the other hand, the state and local
governments are involved in the implementation and adoption of the policies into practice in
the healthcare system.
On the financial perspective, the structure applied in Switzerland is different from the
mixed approach used in the Australian health system because the health care sector is
privatized. Privatization of the health system in Switzerland has forced people to look for
health insurance (Bakvis & Brown, 2010). Though the government of Switzerland does not
provide financial resources, it is important in framing appropriate policies that relate to health
insurance provided by the private institutions in the country (Nicholson, Jackson, Marley &
Wells, 2012). In this case, the Swiss government provides regulations that health insurers are
obligated to provide procedures for hospital stays, medications, doctor visits, physical
therapy, in-home care, and dental care.
The financial structure applied in the health system of United States of America is
different from the one adopted in Australia because people are responsible for their individual
health. The financial structure in United States of America is designed to ensure that all
hospitals and health centres provide quality services to their patients (Naccarella, Wraight &
Gorman, 2016). The financial structure is directed towards the private sector.