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Household health expenditure is increasing faster than public health expenditure

30 OCTOBER 2018

Estonian households’ health expenditure increased by 12% in last year, which is nearly twice as fast as public health expenditure growth, according to the statistics released today by the National Institute for Health Development.

Estonian health expenditure in 2017 was 1.52 billion euros. The growth was 7.6% in comparison with the previous year, public expenditure increased by 6.4% and household expenses by 12%. Growth in real terms was only 1.5%. The share of health expenditure in gross domestic product dropped to level 6.4% as in 2015.

The share of public sector in health expenditure was 75%. By financing schemes, the share of compulsory health insurance was 64% and the share of central government was 9%, the share of households amounted 24%. In 2016, the share of health insurance was 65%, households 23%, and central government 9%.

Public sector contribution to health expenditure increased by 68 million euros in a year, including a compulsory health insurance component of 61 million. Household expenditure increased by 37.7 million euros. The growth in absolute values in the public sector was similar to the last year growth, but the increase in household expenditure was significantly higher. Half of the increase in household expenditure in 2017 was due to the increase of dental care costs, a quarter of medical goods. The main services of households’ cost groups are: 31% for dental care, 20% for prescription drugs, 15% for over-the-counter medicines and 11% for outpatient specialist care.

There was no change in the breakdown of public sector expenditure by services. 60% of public health expenditure was made for active care, including 30% for inpatient care and 27% for outpatient care. Next major groups in public sector were ancillary services 15% and medical goods 14%.

Health expenditure statistics by financing schemes, revenues of financing schemes, services and providers are published in the Health statistics and research database.
The analysis will be published at the end of December 2018. Gross fixed capital formation in health system in 2017 will be released in spring 2019.

 

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Diagnostics and therapeutic procedures in 2017

26 OCTOBER 2018

Yearly data about 2017 diagnostics and therapeutic procedures were published in the Health Statistics and Health Research Database. Radiology data are available also by Hospital Masterplan hospitals.

Last year, 1,178,174 computed tomography examinations were conducted in Estonian health care institutions. The number of computed tomography examinations increased 32% compared to 2016. At the same time, the number of patients examined increased by 2%.
In two years (2016 vs 2017) comparison the data about procedures on x-ray examinations and procedures decreased by 4%.

In 2017, total number of interventional radiology procedures (biopsies, punctures, radiofrequency ablation and angiography) increased by 8% compared to 2016.

The absolute number of laboratory analyses have steadily increased over the last three years, as well as per 100 patients, especially in immunological analyses – in 2014, when 34 analyses were done per 100 patients, then in 2017 immune analyses were already carried out on every second patient.

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Dental visits and work, 2017

26 OCTOBER 2018

Data about dental visits and work in 2017 is published in the Health Statistics and Health Research Database.
Last year, nearly 1.98 million dentists' visits were made, which is 5.2% more than the year before. The average rate of dentists' visits per capita was 1.5 (in 2016 the rate was 1.4).

79% of dental care visits are dentists' visits. The number of dental care visits has increased by 4.2%. In total, 1.01 million teeth were treated, which is 2.2% less than previous year.

In 2017, the growth in orthodontic and dental hygienists’ visits continued. The use of both services increased significantly – more than 15%. In 2017, total of 170,000 visits were made to orthodontists. There were almost equally orthodontic visits for adults and for children – 51% of all orthodontic visits were made by adults and 49% by children. 27,500 orthodontic appliances were installed, which is 41% more than previous year. The large increase in installed orthodontic appliances is justified by the updating of the Health Insurance Funds' list of health care services – in 2017, the list of diagnoses for under the age of 19 was expanded covered by medical insurance for the payment of orthodontic treatment and several new un-removable orthodontic appliances were also added to the list.

In 2017, there was more than 23,000 visits to dental hygienists. When in 2016 the number of children’s visits was around one fifth, then in 2017 the percentage of children’s visits decreased back to level of 2015, amounting 13%.

Comparing the number of equivalent employment by these occupations in November 2016 and 2017, for orthodontists, this has not changed significantly, but the number of equivalent employment of dental hygienists increased from 14 to 20. At the same time, the number of clinics that offers orthodontic treatment increased also by 6% in 2017.

An increase continued for the number of placed dental implants. In total 10,583 implants were placed, which is more than a one fifth more than year before.

The number of prosthetic visits increased by 9% and the number of patients who got the prostheses increased by 12%. There were no major changes in prosthetic treatment over the past two years.

The total number of dental X-rays didn’t increase significantly – nearly 300,0000 dental X-rays were made and it showed 2.1% increase compared to the year 2016.

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Medical devices, 2017

21 OCTOBER 2019

2017 data about medical devices is released in Health Statistics and Health Research Database.

At the end of the year 2017, 24 CT scanners, 18 MRI scanners, 3 gamma cameras, incl 2 SPECT machines, 11 angiography equipment, 4 lithotripsy equipment, 3 PET scanners, 7 radiotherapy equipment, 15 mammography units, 148 haemodialysis machines, 5 barotherapy chambers, 191 anaesthetic machines and 342 medical ventilators were in use in Estonian hospitals and other health care providers.

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Outpatient and home visits, 2017

24 JANUARY 2019

The number of physicians' and nurses' outpatient visits for 2017 is published in Health Statistics and Health Research Database.

The total number of physicians’ and nurses’ outpatient visits decreased by 5% compared to 2016. At the same time the number of home visits decreased by 10%, and it was due to decline of family doctors. They made 11% (nearly 3,700) less home visits than year before.

The number of independent outpatient and home visits of nurses has increased by 0.1% and 3% respectively. Two-thirds of the outpatient visits was made by family nurses and the most of home visits was made by home nurses. The number of midwives’ outpatient visits increased also by 5%.

News published 26.10.2018.

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