The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released a new working paper, Fiscal Sustainability of Health Systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to reform the public health system, including the digitalization of medical services and improving the professional competencies of health workers. Addressing these challenges will require a significant increase in government funding.

According to experts, by 2040, healthcare costs in OECD countries will reach 11.8% of GDP. As the authors note, the top priority is to improve healthcare efficiency while maintaining financial sustainability. The OECD prepared a number of recommendations aimed at ensuring a smooth increase in government spending:

• Initiate state a campaign to promote healthier populations
• Assess the effectiveness of previously implemented measures, optimize ineffective expenses
• Improve the quality of financial management.